imperium
[im-
peer
-ee-
uh
m]
/ɪmˈpɪər i əm/
noun
,
plural
imperia
[im-
peer
-ee-
uh
]
/ɪmˈpɪər i ə/
(
Show IPA
),
imperiums.
1.
command; supreme power.
2.
area of dominion; sphere of control or monopoly; empire.
3.
a nation having or exerting supreme power; superpower.
4.
Law.
the right to command the force of the state in order to enforce the law.
Origin
1645-55;
<
Latin:
supreme administrative power, authority, empire, equivalent to
imper
(
āre
) to rule (see
imperative
) +
-ium
-ium
Examples from the web for
imperium
He had space: the great
imperium
with its eleven time zones, the distances that gave their blessing to exile and isolation.
Consuls and praetors held
imperium
, officially sanctioned absolute power, although they were constrained in three important ways.
British Dictionary definitions for
imperium
imperium
/
ɪmˈpɪərɪəm
/
noun
(
pl
)
-ria
(
-rɪə
)
1.
(in ancient Rome) the supreme power, held esp by consuls and emperors, to command and administer in military, judicial, and civil affairs
2.
the right to command; supreme power
3.
a less common word for
empire
Word Origin
C17: from Latin: command, empire, from
imperāre
to command; see
emperor
Word Origin and History for
imperium
n.
1650s, from Latin
imperium
"command, supreme authority, power" (see
empire
).