Empire Comes From the Latin for Command
An empire is a group of territories under one authority. The word means command, and it gave English emperor and imperial.
An empire is an extensive group of states or peoples under one supreme authority. The Latin *imperium* meant the power to command — originally the legal authority of a Roman magistrate, later the reach of Rome itself. The word describes a relationship of command rather than a size, which is why small states have had empires and large ones have not.
- Territories under one rule. *The Roman Empire.*
- A large commercial organisation. *A media empire.*
- Imperial — of an empire. *Imperial ambitions.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | empire | A vast empire. |
| Plural | empires | Rival empires. |
| Person | emperor | The last emperor. |
| Adjective | imperial | Imperial rule. |
| Noun | imperialism | Nineteenth-century imperialism. |
How it is used in a sentence
- The empire spanned three continents.Geography.
- He built a publishing empire.Commercial.
- Imperial measures are the old British units.Pounds, feet and pints.
Words from *imperium*
- Empire — the territory commanded
- Emperor — the one who commands
- Imperial — belonging to an empire
- Imperative — a command form of a verb
- Imperious — behaving as though entitled to command
From Old French *empire*, from Latin *imperium*, command or dominion, from *imperare*, to command, from *in* and *parare*, to prepare or order.
Are imperative and empire related?
Yes. Both come from Latin *imperare*, to command. An imperative verb gives an order.
What are imperial measures?
The British system of pounds, ounces, feet, miles and pints, standardised in 1824 and still partly in use.