Definition of empire
1a (1) : a major political unit having a territory of great extent or a number of territories or peoples under a single sovereign authority; especially : one having an emperor as chief of state (2) : the territory of such a political unitb : something resembling a political empire; especially : an extensive territory or enterprise under single domination or control
2 : imperial sovereignty, rule, or dominion
3 capitalized [Empire State, nickname for New York] : a juicy apple with dark red skin that is a cross between a McIntosh apple and a Red Delicious apple
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Examples of empire in a Sentence
She built a tiny business into a worldwide empire.
He controlled a cattle empire in the heart of Texas.
Recent Examples of empire from the Web
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The book was followed by other oral histories of people caught in calamities: the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, the Chernobyl disaster, the collapse of the Soviet empire.
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There’s no question that Trump, a Manhattan real estate magnate with a global business empire, has little personally in common with the majority of people in the U.S., where the median household income is around $54,000 a year.
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In this scorched-earth op-ed, Shammara Lawrence explores why the Kardashian-Jenners continue to build their empires on the backs of black creatives.
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In the past year, the New Yorker and the New York Times profiled Calipari with basketball as the backdrop and details provided about his busy schedule and media empire in the making.
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Much had been made of the British handing over control of their colony to the Chinese, which for many marked the symbolic end of an empire and an era.
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In the 25 years since its founding, Fosun has transformed into a sprawling empire with assets ranging from Cirque du Soleil Inc. and Club Med to the 28 Liberty building near Wall Street in New York.
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Lucy Buffett believes in the power of customer service, having started as a cashier at the then-dive bar and working her way up into a restaurant empire.
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Ivanka Trump's namesake fashion company appears to be making moves to grow its empire.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'empire.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of empire
Middle English, from Anglo-French empire, empirie, from Latin imperium absolute authority, empire, from imperare to command — more at emperor
Other Government and Politics Terms
Empire
playDefinition of Empire
: of, relating to, or characteristic of a style (as of clothing or furniture) popular in early 19th century France
Origin and Etymology of empire
French, from (le premier) Empire the first Empire of France
EMPIRE Defined for Kids
empire
playDefinition of empire for Students
1 : a group of territories or peoples under one ruler the Roman empire
2 : a country whose ruler is called an emperor
Learn More about empire
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See words that rhyme with empire Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for empire Spanish Central: Translation of empire Nglish: Translation of empire for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of empire for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about empire
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