Kinghood

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A status marked by the attributes and duties of a ruler
2. The respected position entailing the power and responsibilities of sovereign leadership
3. The state or era during which someone holds the role and authority of a monarch

Etymology: "Kinghood" is a plain compound: the noun "king" with the suffix "-hood," which turns a noun into a word for a state, condition or rank, as in "childhood" or "priesthood." Its earliest form appeared in Middle English as "kinghod," and it has kept this sense of the status and office of a king ever since. The suffix "-hood" comes from Old English "-hād," a word meaning rank, state or condition, which is also the source of "had" in the sense of a person's state, as in "manhood" or "maidenhood." English speakers attached it to many nouns over the centuries, so "kinghood" belongs to a large family of similar formations.

Synonyms: monarchy, kingship, royalty, sovereignty, rule

Antonyms: commonality, democracy, anarchy, republic, servitude