imperial

1 of 2

adjective

im·​pe·​ri·​al im-ˈpir-ē-əl How to pronounce imperial (audio)
1
a
: of, relating to, befitting, or suggestive of an empire or an emperor
b(1)
: of or relating to the United Kingdom as distinguished from the constituent parts
(2)
: of or relating to the Commonwealth of Nations and British Empire
2
3
a
: of superior or unusual size or excellence
b
sometimes Imperial : having a full body and a higher-than-average percentage of alcohol
an imperial stout
4
: belonging to the official British series of weights and measures see Weights and Measures Table
imperially adverb

imperial

2 of 2

noun

1
Imperial : an adherent or soldier of the Holy Roman emperor
2
3
: a pointed beard growing below the lower lip
4
: something of unusual size or excellence

Examples of imperial in a Sentence

Adjective a member of the imperial family envisioned an imperial city that would rival the capitals of Europe for beauty and magnificence
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
In the scene in question, a liberal, idealistic senator of the imperial government that controls much of the galaxy speaks out against a vengeful attack on the protesting residents of Ghorman, a planet that the empire is attempting to subjugate and militarize. Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 21 May 2025 Scholars who trace the circulation of ideas in this period largely focus British imperial cities such as Bombay (now Mumbai), Singapore, and Rangoon (Yangon) in what is now Myanmar. H.m.a. Leow, JSTOR Daily, 16 May 2025
Noun
The seeds of rebellion continue to be planted, with multiple storylines weaving together in tense standoffs that will keep both imperials and agitators on edge. Ew Staff, EW.com, 25 Apr. 2025 Crab imperial is a dish featuring lump crab in its purest form, enhanced only by a light imperial sauce, without the additional binders used to make crab cakes. Southern Living Test Kitchen, Southern Living, 8 July 2023 See All Example Sentences for imperial

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English imperial, emperiall, borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French emperial, imperiall, borrowed from Latin imperiālis "of the Roman emperor," from imperium "supreme administrative authority, power exercised by a Roman emperor" + -ālis -al entry 1 — more at empire

Noun

derivative of imperial entry 1, probably after Middle French imperiaux (plural); (sense 3) translation of French impériale

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

circa 1524, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of imperial was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Imperial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/imperial. Accessed 29 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

imperial

1 of 2 adjective
im·​pe·​ri·​al im-ˈpir-ē-əl How to pronounce imperial (audio)
: of, relating to, or fine enough for an empire or an emperor
imperially adverb

imperial

2 of 2 noun
: a pointed beard growing below the lower lip

More from Merriam-Webster on imperial

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