Empire

UK:^*^*UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ˈɛmpaɪə/

US:USA pronunciation: IPAUSA pronunciation: IPA/ˈɛmpaɪr/

US:USA pronunciation: respellingUSA pronunciation: respelling(em′pī^ər; for 8–10 also om pēr′)

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

Empire /ˈɛmpaɪə/ n the Empire ⇒

- the period of imperial rule in France from 1804 to 1815 under Napoleon Bonaparte
- Also called: Second Empire the period from 1852 to 1870 when Napoleon III ruled as emperor

adj

denoting, characteristic of, or relating to the British Empire
denoting, characteristic of, or relating to either French Empire, esp the first: in particular, denoting the neoclassical style of architecture and furniture and the high-waisted style of women's dresses characteristic of the period

em•pire /ˈɛmpaɪr/USA pronunciation n. [countable]

World Historya group of nations, states, or peoples ruled over by an emperor, empress, or other powerful sovereign.
a large and powerful business, company, or enterprise controlled by one person, family, or group.

em•pire (em′pī^ər; for 8–10 also om pēr′),USA pronunciation n.

World Historya group of nations or peoples ruled over by an emperor, empress, or other powerful sovereign or government: usually a territory of greater extent than a kingdom, as the former British Empire, French Empire, Russian Empire, Byzantine Empire, or Roman Empire.
World Historya government under an emperor or empress.
World History(often cap.) the historical period during which a nation is under such a government:a history of the second French empire.
World Historysupreme power in governing;
imperial power;
sovereignty:Austria's failure of empire in central Europe.
supreme control;
absolute sway:passion's empire over the mind.
a powerful and important enterprise or holding of large scope that is controlled by a single person, family, or group of associates:The family's shipping empire was founded 50 years ago.
Plant Biology(cap.) a variety of apple somewhat resembling the McIntosh.

adj.

World History(cap.) characteristic of or developed during the first French Empire, 1804–15.
Clothing(usually cap.) (of women's attire and coiffures) of the style that prevailed during the first French Empire, in clothing being characterized esp. by décolletage and a high waistline, coming just below the bust, from which the skirt hangs straight and loose.
Architecture, Furniture(often cap.) noting or pertaining to the style of architecture, furnishings, and decoration prevailing in France and imitated to a greater or lesser extent in various other countries, c1800–30: characterized by the use of delicate but elaborate ornamentation imitated from Greek and Roman examples or containing classical allusions, as animal forms for the legs of furniture, bas-reliefs of classical figures, motifs of wreaths, torches, caryatids, lyres, and urns and by the occasional use of military and Egyptian motifs and, under the Napoleonic Empire itself, of symbols alluding to Napoleon I, as bees or the letter N.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

empire /ˈɛmpaɪə/ n

an aggregate of peoples and territories, often of great extent, under the rule of a single person, oligarchy, or sovereign state
any monarchy that for reasons of history, prestige, etc, has an emperor rather than a king as head of state
the period during which a particular empire exists
supreme power; sovereignty
a large industrial organization with many ramifications, esp a multinational corporation

Etymology: 13th Century: from Old French, from Latin imperium rule, from imperāre to command, from parāre to prepare

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