Empire Meaning: What Makes a State an Empire, With Examples
Empire meaning explained: the dictionary definitions, the Latin root imperium, the features historians use to identify an empire, the main kinds of empire, and how an empire differs from a kingdom or a nation-state.
Last updated September 2026
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The basic empire meaning is simple. It is a large state that rules over many different peoples or lands from one centre. But historians use the word more precisely.
It also has everyday senses, such as a "business empire". This page sets out the dictionary definitions and traces the word to its Latin root. It lists the features that mark an empire. It also explains how an empire differs from a kingdom or a nation.
TL;DR: An empire is a large state in which one centre rules many peoples or lands. Usually those peoples did not agree to it as equals. The word comes from the Latin imperium, "command". Emperors or kings can rule empires. So can republics. Examples include Rome, the Mongols, the Ottomans and the British Empire.
Empire meaning in the dictionaries
| Source | Definition, summarised |
|---|---|
| Cambridge Dictionary | A group of countries ruled by a single person or government, or by one country |
| Merriam-Webster | A major political unit with a large territory, or many territories or peoples, under a single sovereign authority |
| Britannica (political science) | A major political unit in which a central power rules a number of territories or peoples |
| Collins | A number of individual nations that are all controlled by the government or ruler of one particular country |
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All four share two ideas: size, and rule by one centre over many parts. Merriam-Webster also records a looser sense. It is a large group of businesses under one control.
Where the word comes from
Origin of "empire"
Etymology of "empire".
Status: Reviewed.
Note: "Empire" comes from the Latin imperium. It means command, or the supreme power to rule. In Rome, imperium was the legal power held by high officials and generals. The word passed through Old French into English in the 1200s and 1300s. The same root gives "emperor", from imperator, and "imperial".
Sources: Etymonline, "imperium"; Britannica, "Imperium (Roman law)".
Features that mark an empire
Historians look for several features when they call a state an empire.
- Many peoples. An empire rules populations with different languages and religions, and often different identities.
- A dominant centre. One city or people, or one ruling group, holds power over the rest.
- Unequal rule. The parts are not equal partners; the centre governs them.
- Large territory. Empires are usually big, though size alone is not enough.
- Expansion. Most empires grew by conquest or settlement, and some by alliance.
The OER Project's classroom article "What is an Empire" makes the same point. The heart of an empire is a centre that rules over many different outer lands.
Kinds of empire
| Kind | How it works | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Land (contiguous) empire | Expands over neighbouring land | Roman, Mongol, Russian, Ottoman |
| Maritime or colonial empire | Holds distant territories across the sea | British, Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch |
| Tributary empire | Collects tribute while local rulers stay in place | Aztec (Mexica), early Persian and Chinese systems |
| Informal empire | Controls trade or politics without formal rule | A term historians use for 19th-century British influence in parts of Latin America |
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For the biggest of these, measured in different ways, see largest empire in history.
Famous empires and what defined them
| Empire | Centre | What defined it |
|---|---|---|
| Akkadian | Akkad, Mesopotamia | Often called the first empire; Sargon united many cities |
| Achaemenid Persian | Persepolis and Susa | Ruled many peoples through provincial governors |
| Roman | Rome, later Constantinople | Law, roads and citizenship across the Mediterranean |
| Han Chinese | Chang'an | A trained bureaucracy under an emperor |
| Mongol | Karakorum | The largest contiguous land empire |
| Ottoman | Istanbul | Ruled parts of three continents for six centuries |
| British | London | The largest empire by area, built largely by sea |
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Empire and imperialism
"Imperialism" is the policy or practice of building and keeping an empire. The word became common in English in the late 1800s, when European powers raced for colonies. The economist J. A. Hobson criticised it in his book Imperialism: A Study (1902).
Lenin's Imperialism, the Highest Stage of Capitalism (1917) gave it a Marxist reading. Today "imperialism" is often used for any attempt by a strong state to dominate others. That can happen with or without formal colonies.
Empire, kingdom and nation compared
| Term | Defined by | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Empire | Rule by one centre over many peoples or lands | The Ottoman Empire |
| Kingdom | Having a king or queen as head of state | The Kingdom of Sweden |
| Nation-state | A state that matches one national community | Modern Iceland |
| Federation | A union of self-governing states with shared institutions | Modern Germany |
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The terms can overlap. The United Kingdom was a kingdom that held an empire. The Holy Roman Empire had an emperor. But in its later centuries it had little central power. For how the titles of emperor and king differ, see emperor vs king.
Empires without monarchs
Empires ruled by non-monarchs.
Status: Disputed Historians differ on using the word for republics.
Note: Most empires in history were monarchies, but not all. Historians often speak of the "Athenian empire" in the 400s BCE. Then democratic Athens controlled the Delian League. Rome built much of its empire as a republic, before Augustus became its first emperor in 27 BCE. Some scholars prefer the word "hegemony" for such cases.
Sources: Britannica, "Empire (political science)"; OER Project, "What is an Empire".
How empires end
Empires rarely last forever. Some broke apart from within. The Mongol Empire split into rival khanates in the 1200s.
Others fell to outside attack, as Constantinople did to the Ottomans in 1453. Most colonial empires ended through independence movements after the Second World War. In each case the core of empire, rule by one centre over many others, came to an end.
Empire in everyday English
The word has spread beyond politics. A "business empire" or "media empire" is a large group of companies under one owner. "Empire" is also a style name. The Empire style in furniture and dress is linked to Napoleon's First French Empire. And "Empire State" is a nickname for the US state of New York.
The word and the idea both come from Rome. To read more, see our guide to the best Roman history books.
Verdict: the empire meaning in one line
At its core, the empire meaning is rule by one centre over many peoples or lands. The word comes from the Latin imperium, "command". An emperor, a king or even a republic can rule an empire. It can grow over land or across the sea. For what the word says about monarchy, see define monarchy and the monarchy hub.
Sources checked for this page
- Cambridge Dictionary, "empire"
- Merriam-Webster, "empire"
- Britannica, "Empire (political science)"
- Etymonline, "imperium"
- OER Project, "What is an Empire"
- Collins Dictionary, "empire"
Questions people also ask
What is the simple meaning of empire?
A group of countries or peoples ruled by a single government or ruler, usually from one powerful centre.
Where does the word empire come from?
From the Latin imperium, meaning command or supreme power, through Old French empire. The same root gives 'emperor' and 'imperial'.
Does an empire need an emperor?
No. The British Empire was ruled by kings and queens, and some historians describe republics, such as ancient Athens at its height, as having empires.
What is the difference between an empire and a kingdom?
A kingdom is a state headed by a king or queen. An empire is defined by its reach: rule over many peoples or lands. An empire can be a kingdom, and a kingdom can have an empire.
What is the difference between empire and imperialism?
An empire is a state that rules many peoples or territories. Imperialism is the policy or practice of building or keeping such control.
Is the United States an empire?
It is not an empire in the formal sense, since it has no emperor and its states are equal members. Some historians describe its overseas territories and global influence as a kind of empire, but that is a matter of debate.
What does empire mean in 'business empire'?
A large group of companies or interests controlled by one person or family, borrowing the idea of wide control from one centre.