dynasty

noun

dy·​nas·​ty ˈdī-nə-stē 

 also  -ˌna-stē,

 especially British  ˈdi-nə-stē

plural dynasties

1

: a succession of rulers of the same line of descent (see descent sense 1a)

a dynasty that ruled China for nearly 300 years

2

: a powerful group or family that maintains its position for a considerable time

born into a powerful political dynasty

a baseball dynasty

dynastic

dī-ˈna-stik 

adjective

dynastically

dī-ˈna-sti-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Did you know?

Sports Dynasties

Dynasty has been in use in English for over 600 years, for most of that time referring to a ruling family that maintains power through succession. Around the beginning of the 19th century, the word developed the figurative sense “a group or family that dominates a particular field for generations.” Nowadays, this sense of dynasty is often applied to a sports franchise which has a prolonged run of successful seasons. The sports use appears to have begun in the early 20th century. An article in The Washington Post in 1905 refers to “John T. Brush’s baseball dynasty,” and by 1912 the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that “if players were free agents at the end of every two years, baseball dynasties such as those built up by the Cubs, Athletics, Detroits and Giants would not be possible.”

Did you know?

Dynasty Has Greek Roots

Dynast and dynasty both descend from the Greek verb dynasthai, which means "to be able" or "to have power." Dynasty came to prominence in English first; it has been part of our language since at least the 14th century. Dynast took its place in the linguistic family line in the early 1600s, and it has been used to describe sovereigns and other rulers ever since.

Examples of dynasty in a Sentence

a dynasty that ruled China for nearly 300 years

There was a civil war during the dynasty.

She was born into a powerful political dynasty.

Recent Examples on the Web

Read More: How to Stop Kim Jong Un Perhaps the greatest measure of his influence is that North Korea is the only major family dynasty founded in the Cold War that has kept continuous power since the 1940s. —TIME, 8 May 2024

Season five of The Kardashians premieres May 23 on Hulu, marking two years since the family dynasty switched over from its long-running reality show Keeping Up With the Kardashians on E!. —Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 8 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English dynastia, dynastie "power, sovereignty, succession of rulers," borrowed from Medieval Latin dynastīa, going back to Late Latin, "rule, power," borrowed from Greek dynasteía "arbitrarily exercised political power, lordship, rule," from dynástēs "holder of political power, lord, ruler" + -eia -y entry 2 — more at dynast

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

dynasty

noun

dy·​nas·​ty ˈdī-nə-stē 

 also  -ˌnas-tē

plural dynasties

: a succession of rulers of the same line of descent

dynastic

dī-ˈnas-tik 

adjective

dynastically

-ti-k(ə-)lē 

adverb