Reich

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A term in German referring to a realm or empire, historically associated with the Holy Roman Empire or later political entities
2. Denoting a domain or a period marked by a specific governance structure, often tied to historical German states
3. Used to describe an empire or sovereign state, particularly in reference to its territorial and political authority in Central Europe

Etymology: The German "Reich" is an old word, descended from Old High German "rīhhi," meaning realm or kingdom, and it is closely related to the English "rich" and "ruler" through a shared root meaning power or to rule. That link is the surprise: the German word that now names empires and states is a cousin of the English adjective for wealth. English borrowed "Reich" from German, and it entered the language as a term for the German state and its territorial authority in Central Europe. Because the same ancient root gave English "Raj," the British term for colonial rule in India, the two words are doublets: separate borrowings of one source. "Raj" came into English through Hindi, which took it from Sanskrit "rājya," meaning kingdom, and so "Reich" and "Raj" both trace back to the idea of a realm under a ruler.

Synonyms: empire, realm, kingdom, domain

Antonyms: republic, democracy