kingdom
UK: ˈkɪŋdəm | US: ˈkɪŋdəm
n. a country or territory ruled by a king or queen
n. a realm or domain associated with a particular thing (e.g., "the animal kingdom")
n. (theology) the spiritual sovereignty of God
kingdom = king<ruler> + dom<state or condition>
- king: Derived from Old English cyning, meaning "male ruler of a people." Traces back to Proto-Germanic kuningaz, possibly linked to kunjam (family, lineage).
- dom: From Old English -dōm, a suffix denoting "state, condition, or authority." Related to Old Norse -dómr and German -tum (e.g., Christentum = Christianity).
Etymology Origin:
The word kingdom literally means "the state or condition of being ruled by a king." The suffix -dom originally conveyed abstract concepts (e.g., freedom, wisdom) but later specialized in territorial or institutional domains. The compound reflects the medieval European societal structure, where a king's authority defined geopolitical boundaries.
The United Kingdom comprises four nations.
Lions are often called the kings of the animal kingdom.
The kingdom flourished under the new monarch’s rule.
Ancient Egypt was a powerful kingdom along the Nile.
His ambition was to expand his kingdom through diplomacy.