kingdom
KIHNG-duhm
Kingdom (noun) means a country or territory ruled by a king or queen. Example: “The kingdom stretched from the mountains to the sea.”
noun
1
A country or territory ruled by a king or queen.
"The kingdom stretched from the mountains to the sea."
"Tourists flock to visit the ancient ruins of the old kingdom."
"The young princess will one day rule the kingdom after her mother."
2
A conceptual area or field where something is dominant or supreme.
"In the kitchen, he reigns over his kingdom of pots and pans."
"Pop music is his kingdom, and no other singer in the country comes close."
"On the football pitch, the old goalkeeper ruled his own small kingdom."
3
One of the highest major categories in the classification of living things, above phylum (such as the animal kingdom or plant kingdom).
"Fungi were once grouped with plants but now form their own kingdom."
"Mushrooms belong to the fungi kingdom, not to the plant kingdom."
"Bacteria are placed in a separate kingdom from animals, plants and fungi."
How to use kingdom
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe land ruled by a king or queen, or — more broadly — a domain where something reigns supreme, or one of the top categories in biology.
Common pairings
animal kingdom
plant kingdom
the kingdom of
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Word forms
- Plural
- kingdoms
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The _____ stretched from the mountains to the sea.
Etymology
From Old English cyningdom, formed from "king" plus the suffix "-dom," meaning "domain" or "state of."
Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “kingdom” mean?
The word “kingdom” means a country or territory ruled by a king or queen. In plain terms, the land ruled by a king or queen, or — more broadly — a domain where something reigns supreme, or one of the top categories in biology.
How do you pronounce “kingdom”?
“Kingdom” is pronounced KIHNG-duhm (/ˈkɪŋdəm/ in IPA).
How do you use “kingdom” in a sentence?
Here is “kingdom” used in a sentence: “The kingdom stretched from the mountains to the sea.”
What part of speech is “kingdom”?
“Kingdom” is a noun.
Where does the word “kingdom” come from?
The word “kingdom” comes from Old English. From Old English cyningdom, formed from "king" plus the suffix "-dom," meaning "domain" or "state of.".
Is “kingdom” a common word?
“Kingdom” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.
How many meanings does “kingdom” have?
“Kingdom” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a country or territory ruled by a king or queen.
What is the difference between a kingdom and an empire?
A kingdom is a single country or territory ruled by a king or queen. An empire is larger — a group of nations, peoples, or territories brought under one supreme ruler, often an emperor, usually through conquest. An empire may contain several kingdoms, but a kingdom governs one realm while an empire spans many.
What is the difference between a kingdom and a country?
Every kingdom is a country, but not every country is a kingdom. Kingdom specifies the form of rule — a monarchy headed by a king or queen. Country is the neutral, general term regardless of government, so a republic is a country but not a kingdom. The distinction is about who reigns.
What are examples of kingdoms?
Modern examples include the United Kingdom, Spain, Sweden, Saudi Arabia, and Thailand, each headed by a monarch. Historically, kingdoms such as England, France, and the many realms of medieval Europe and Africa were common. The word also appears figuratively, as in the animal kingdom, meaning a broad division or domain.
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