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imperium

imperium

2 9.9
Complete power to make final decisions for a country or its leader
  • noun
  • /ɪmˈpɪr.i.əm/
  • Specialized
translation icon : imperio
  • Although Romans rebelled against their kings, they continued to accept the idea of supreme authority, which they called imperium.
  • American imperium

Examples

  • They work for the Imperium.

  • The Imperium is designed to exercise total power for as long as the emergency exists.

  • The Imperium is made up of leaders.

  • Only together can they stand a chance against the Imperium.

  • The Imperium in no way wishes to infringe upon the rights of the citizens of the world.

  • Atreides legions are the finest in the Imperium.

  • For the Imperium, spice is used by the navigators of the Spacing Guild to find safe paths between the stars.

  • Vidal explained the doctrine of American exceptionalism as a cover for an "American imperium," a ruling class comprised of dynastic families, newspaper publishers, movie moguls, multinational corporations, and international banks.

    Academic text (1992)
  • Behind the creation and installation of the altarpiece, I will show, lies a tribute to Maximilian's cherished dream of a universal Christian imperium, expansive in its territories, triumphant over its enemies, and united under the aegis of emperor and pope, combined in one person.

    Academic text (2005)
  • Throughout history, many leaders have sought to establish their own imperium to exert control over vast territories.

Synonyms

empery
vsimperium
  • Archaic
1 9.9

Rule by an emperor over many lands

applies more broadly to supreme authority exercised by states or rulers
dominium
vsimperium
  • Archaic
9.9

Supreme power held by a ruler or state

focuses on how that authority is exercised rather than simply held
potestas
vsimperium
  • Archaic
9.9

The legal right to act or control others

denotes total, supreme authority rather than a mere legal right

Antonyms

79 6.5

A situation with no government and much disorder

How Powerful

supremacy
53 7.1
imperium
  • Specialized
2 9.9
dominion
  • Formal
24 7.7
power
3.4
authority
731 3.5

Surface Forms

imperium singular
imperiums plural
imperia plural

Etymology

Imperium comes from the Latin verb imperare, which means 'to command', and from imperator, a 'commander'. So imperium originally meant 'command' or 'power', which is why it now means supreme authority or absolute rule.