I. ˈemˌpī(ə)r, -īə; sense 4 & empire II are more often (ˈ)äm|pi(ə)r or (ˈ)ȯm- or -iə noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English, from Old French empire, empirie, from Latin imperium, from imperare to command — more at emperor
1.
a. : an extended territory usually comprising a group of nations, states, or peoples under the control or domination of a single sovereign power: as
(1) : a state comprising a dominating conquering people and the conquered people dominated
the Babylonian empire
the Aztec empire
(2) : a state comprising a confederacy in which one strong member dominates its confederates or its confederates, conquests, and colonies
the Athenian empire
the Roman empire
(3) : a state that has a great extent of territory and a great variety of peoples under one rule and often has a ruler with the title of emperor
the former Japanese empire
b. : the territory or peoples under such control or domination
the former large colonial empire of Spain
the colonial empire proper numbers some 60,000,000 in Asia, America, and Africa — New Republic
c. : realm , province , territory
fish in their watery empire
the empire of gnats and midges
primarily an inland empire , Texas nevertheless has the third longest coastline of the States — American Guide Series: Texas
a whole empire of enjoyment is yours to command — New York Times
2.
a. : supreme or absolute power especially of an emperor : imperial dominion, sway, or sovereignty
the problems of a colonial administration in retreat from empire — New York Times Book Review
the first Ptolemies were consolidating their empire over Egypt — Benjamin Farrington
b. : domination , control
reckless revolt against the empire of business and convention — E.K.Brown
even as a child her empire over her two sisters and her half-brothers … was complete — Times Literary Supplement
the empire of strong emotion — C.W.Cunnington
3. : an extended territory or an extensive enterprise or group of related enterprises dominated or significantly controlled by a single person, family, or group of interested persons
a cattle empire of several thousand acres
a fabulous empire , with no strings attached, was given to the railroads, to encourage the construction of transportation facilities — J.E.Lawrence
state officials … nor competitors had been able to halt the growth of his branch-banking empire — Newsweek
the breakup of the former … utilities empire — Wall Street Journal
a motion-picture empire that at one time included a leading film-producing company, hundreds of theaters, and a newsreel organization — Americana Annual
one of the world's greatest industrialists, a man who created a billion-dollar empire — Paul Marcus
4. often capitalized
[ empire (II) ]
: cadmium green — distinguished from Empire green and Empire blue
II. see empire I adjective
Usage: usually capitalized
Etymology: French Empire, from ( le premier ) Empire, the First Empire of France (1804-1814)
: of, relating to, or befitting the style popular in France in the early 19th century: as
a. of clothing : having the characteristics of the French Directoire style but usually with richer fabrics, greater formality, and elaborate accessories
b. of furniture : characterized by classic and oriental motives, long curving lines, some carving, and ornamentation in brass and ivory — see directoire b