kingdom

noun

king·​dom ˈkiŋ-dəm How to pronounce kingdom (audio)
1
: a politically organized community or major territorial unit having a monarchical form of government headed by a king or queen
2
often capitalized
a
: the eternal kingship of God
b
: the realm in which God's will is fulfilled
3
a
: a realm or region in which something is dominant
a cattle kingdom
b
: an area or sphere in which one holds a preeminent position
The office was his own private kingdom.
4
a
: one of the three primary divisions into which natural objects are commonly classified compare animal kingdom, mineral kingdom, plant kingdom
b
: a major category (such as Plantae or Protista) in biological taxonomy that ranks above the phylum and below the domain
5
archaic : kingship

Examples of kingdom in a Sentence

After Queen Mary I died, her half sister Elizabeth ruled the kingdom. a studio head who was once the undisputed ruler of the kingdom of Hollywood
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In a kingdom where beauty is a brutal business, Elvira will compete with the beautiful and enchanting Agnes to become the belle of the ball. Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 13 Mar. 2025 Prior to peace talks, both Zelensky and Rubio met with the Saudi kingdom's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Faisal Kutty, Newsweek, 11 Mar. 2025 By 1953, as decolonization swept the world, the Danish government, loath to give up ninety-eight per cent of its landmass, made Greenland a semi-autonomous part of its kingdom but retained de-facto control. Louise Bokkenheuser, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2025 Europe was emerging from the Middle Ages, its kingdoms vying for power, trade and influence. Scott Travers, Forbes, 5 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for kingdom

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of kingdom was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Kingdom.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kingdom. Accessed 17 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

kingdom

noun
king·​dom ˈkiŋ-dəm How to pronounce kingdom (audio)
1
: a country whose ruler is a king or queen
2
: a region in which something or someone has very strong influence
the cotton kingdom
3
a
: one of the three primary divisions into which natural objects are classified compare animal kingdom, mineral kingdom, plant kingdom
b
: a major category in the scientific classification of living things that ranks above the phylum and below the domain

Medical Definition

kingdom

noun
king·​dom ˈkiŋ-dəm How to pronounce kingdom (audio)
1
: any of the three primary divisions into which natural objects are grouped see animal kingdom, mineral kingdom, plant kingdom
2
: a major category (as Protista) in biological taxonomy that ranks above the phylum and below the domain

More from Merriam-Webster on kingdom

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