dy·nas·ty | \ ˈdī-nə-stē also -ˌna-stē, especially British ˈdi-nə-stē \
plural dynasties
1 : a succession of rulers of the same line of descent (see descent sense 1a) a dynasty that ruled China for nearly 300 years
2 : a powerful group or family that maintains its position for a considerable time born into a powerful political dynasty a baseball dynasty
Other Words from dynasty
dynastic \ dī-ˈna-stik \ adjective
dynastically \ dī-ˈna-sti-k(ə-)lē \ adverb
Sports Dynasties
Dynasty has been in use in English for over 600 years, for most of that time referring to a ruling family that maintains power through succession. Around the beginning of the 19th century, the word developed the figurative sense “a group or family that dominates a particular field for generations.” Nowadays, this sense of dynasty is often applied to a sports franchise which has a prolonged run of successful seasons. The sports use appears to have begun in the early 20th century. An article in The Washington Post in 1905 refers to “John T. Brush’s baseball dynasty,” and by 1912 the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that “if players were free agents at the end of every two years, baseball dynasties such as those built up by the Cubs, Athletics, Detroits and Giants would not be possible.”
Dynasty Has Greek Roots
Dynast and dynasty both descend from the Greek verb dynasthai, which means "to be able" or "to have power." Dynasty came to prominence in English first; it has been part of our language since at least the 14th century. Dynast took its place in the linguistic family line in the early 1600s, and it has been used to describe sovereigns and other rulers ever since.
Examples of dynasty in a Sentence
a dynasty that ruled China for nearly 300 years There was a civil war during the dynasty. She was born into a powerful political dynasty.
Pugh, 26, will star as the Emperor's daughter, Princess Irulan, while Butler, 30, is set to portray Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen, the presumptive heir to the Harkonnen dynasty. — Nicholas Rice, PEOPLE.com, 13 May 2022 The Montaner dynasty is bringing their private life to the small screen in a new reality show called Los Montaner, set to premiere later this year on Disney+. — Jessica Roiz, Billboard, 13 May 2022 The powerful Rajapaksa dynasty has dominated Sri Lankan politics for years. — Washington Post, 9 May 2022 In 1998, during his visit to the ancient Necropolis of Mian Nasir Muhammad Kalhoro (of the Kalhoro dynasty) in the Dadu district of Sindh, the young anthropologist-to-be was in awe. — Sonya Rehman, Forbes, 30 Apr. 2022 The Ottoman Empire left a bitter aftertaste in the kingdom after it was replaced by the Saudi ruling dynasty. — Nic Robertson, CNN, 29 Apr. 2022 But, in 1569, after the Lithuanian dynasty died out, a Polish-Lithuanian commonwealth was formalized, and the territories of Ukraine were placed under Polish jurisdiction. — Timothy Snyder, The New Yorker, 28 Apr. 2022 The Pillow Talk Party collection includes four additions to the Pillow Talk dynasty — and a restock of some favorites that had sold out, thanks to TikTok. — Dianna Mazzone, Allure, 31 Mar. 2022 Albright married journalist Joseph Albright, a descendant of Chicago’s Medill-Patterson newspaper dynasty, in 1959. — cleveland, 23 Mar. 2022 See More
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'dynasty.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
First Known Use of dynasty
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
History and Etymology for dynasty
Middle English dynastia, dynastie "power, sovereignty, succession of rulers," borrowed from Medieval Latin dynastīa, going back to Late Latin, "rule, power," borrowed from Greek dynasteía "arbitrarily exercised political power, lordship, rule," from dynástēs "holder of political power, lord, ruler" + -eia -y entry 2 — more at dynast
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Dictionary Entries Near dynasty
dynasticism
dynasty
dynatron
See More Nearby EntriesStatistics for dynasty
Last Updated
23 May 2022
Cite this Entry
“Dynasty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dynasty. Accessed 1 Jun. 2022.
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FAQs
What is dynasty short answer?
Definition of dynasty
1 : a succession of rulers of the same line of descent (see descent sense 1a) a dynasty that ruled China for nearly 300 years. 2 : a powerful group or family that maintains its position for a considerable time born into a powerful political dynasty a baseball dynasty.
What is the meaning of dynasty Class 6?
Answer: Dynasty. When members of the same family become rulers one after another, the family is generally called a dynasty.
What is the definition of dynasty for kids?
A dynasty is when one family rules a country or region over a long period of time. Generally, the head of the family will be the ruler of the land, like an emperor or king. When that ruler dies, another member of the family will take power, usually the oldest son.
What is the definition of dynasty geography?
dynasty, a family or line of rulers, a succession of sovereigns of a country belonging to a single family or tracing their descent to a common ancestor (Greek dynadeia, "sovereignty").