Imperatorial

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Connected to the qualities and attributes typically found in an emperor or supreme leader
2. Reflecting the power and authority commonly associated with a ruler or sovereign figure
3. Pertaining to the characteristics and dignity typical of an emperor or supreme ruler

Etymology: "Imperatorial" comes straight from Latin "imperatorius," meaning "of a commander" or "of an emperor." The Latin noun "imperator" was originally a title for a victorious general, granted by his troops, and only later became the formal title of the Roman emperors. The adjective therefore carries the sense of military command before it took on the grander, sovereign associations we hear in it today. The word follows a familiar pattern in English: the Latin adjective was taken over largely unchanged, so its shape has barely shifted from the original. Its connection to "imperator" also links it to a whole family of English words, such as "imperial" and "emperor," which passed into the language through Latin and French and share the same core. The difference is that "imperatorial" stays closer to the commander's role, while "imperial" grew to describe the state and the empire itself.

Synonyms: imperial, sovereign, regal

Antonyms: subordinate, common, ordinary