Imperial

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ɪmˈpɪə.ɹi.əl/

Definitions

1. Relating to an empire or emperor, or characterized by supreme authority and commanding presence
2. Pertaining to an empire or ruler, or reflecting grandiosity and dominance in style or authority
3. Associated with empires or emperors, exemplifying a sense of power and superiority in governance or influence

Etymology: Old English had its own word for this idea: "cāserlīċ", meaning "like a caesar" or "relating to a caesar", built on the title of the Roman emperors. The Norman-French and Latin "imperial" displaced it in Middle English, which is why the native word vanished while the borrowed one stayed. The Latin root reveals a surprisingly practical meaning. "Imperium" originally meant command or the authority to give orders, especially military and governmental power, before it came to name a territory ruled by such authority. It is built from "in-" and "parare", "to prepare or arrange", so the core sense is something like arranging things so that they are ordered by a leader's will. The adjective "imperiālis" was then formed by adding the suffix "-ālis", meaning "relating to", giving "of the empire or emperor." Over the centuries, the word moved from describing a ruler's command toward describing the whole realm and everything belonging to it.

Synonyms: royal, regal, majestic, sovereign, monarchical

Antonyms: common, subordinate, ordinary, insignificant, minor