kingdom

noun

king·​dom ˈkiŋ-dəm 

1

: a politically organized community or major territorial unit having a monarchical form of government headed by a king or queen

2

often Kingdom

a

: the eternal kingship of God

b

: the realm in which God's will is fulfilled

3

a

: a realm or region in which something is dominant

a cattle kingdom

b

: an area or sphere in which one holds a preeminent position

The office was his own private kingdom.

4

a

: one of the three primary divisions into which natural objects are commonly classified compare animal kingdom, mineral kingdom, plant kingdom

b

: a major category (such as Plantae or Protista) in biological taxonomy that ranks above the phylum and below the domain

5

archaic : kingship

Synonyms of kingdom

• realm
• area
• domain
• department
• element
• field
• sphere
• walk
• province

Examples of kingdom in a Sentence

After Queen Mary I died, her half sister Elizabeth ruled the kingdom.

a studio head who was once the undisputed ruler of the kingdom of Hollywood

Recent Examples on the Web

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s visit to the kingdom yesterday may be an indicator of the accuracy of previous Ukrainian media reports that Riyadh is considering drone defense systems that are equally efficient in terms of interception, but are more cost-effective. —Faisal J. Abbas, semafor.com, 27 Mar. 2026

The deal, which came during Zelenskyy’s surprise visit to the oil-rich kingdom, was signed ahead of his meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. —Anniek Bao,sam Meredith, CNBC, 27 Mar. 2026

Greenland, which took up much of the government’s energy in recent months, wasn't a significant issue in the campaign because there is broad agreement on its place in the kingdom. —ABC News, 24 Mar. 2026

Cliffs of Moher, Ireland The rugged coastline of County Clare served as a dramatic setting in Harry Potter, and the wider Wild Atlantic Way has doubled as everything from fantasy kingdoms to period dramas. —Lauren Schuster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing kingdom

• animal kingdom
• kingdom come
• mineral kingdom
• plant kingdom
• to kingdom come

Kids Definition

kingdom

noun

king·​dom ˈkiŋ-dəm 

1

: a country whose ruler is a king or queen

2

: a region in which something or someone has very strong influence

the cotton kingdom

3

a

: one of the three primary divisions into which natural objects are classified compare animal kingdom, mineral kingdom, plant kingdom

b

: a major category in the scientific classification of living things that ranks above the phylum and below the domain

Medical Definition

kingdom

noun

king·​dom ˈkiŋ-dəm 

1

: any of the three primary divisions into which natural objects are grouped see animal kingdom, mineral kingdom, plant kingdom

2

: a major category (as Protista) in biological taxonomy that ranks above the phylum and below the domain