Empire vs. Dominion — What's the Difference?

An empire is a sovereign state made up of several territories and peoples subject to a single ruling authority, often an emperor. A state can become an empire either by a narrow definition through having an emperor and being named as such, or by a broad definition as stated above as an aggregate territory under the rule of supreme authorities such as the Roman Empire.

The word Dominion was used from 1907 to 1948 to refer to one of several self-governing nations of the British Empire. "Dominion status" was formally accorded to Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Newfoundland, South Africa, and the Irish Free State at the 1926 Imperial Conference to designate "autonomous communities within the British Empire, equal in status, in no way subordinate one to another in any aspect of their domestic or external affairs, though united by a common allegiance to the Crown and freely associated as members of the British Commonwealth of Nations”.

An extensive group of states or countries ruled over by a single monarch, an oligarchy, or a sovereign state

Control or the exercise of control; sovereignty

A large commercial organization owned or controlled by one person or group

A territory or sphere of influence or control; a realm.

Denoting a style of furniture, decoration, or dress fashionable chiefly during the First Empire in France. The decorative style was neoclassical but marked by an interest in Egyptian and other ancient motifs.

Often Dominion A self-governing nation under the nominal rule of the British monarch.

Denoting produce from the Commonwealth.

Dominions(Christianity) See domination.

Of, relating to, or characteristic of a neoclassic style, as in clothing or the decorative arts, prevalent in France during the early 1800s.

Power or the use of power; sovereignty over something; stewardship, supremacy.

A variety of apple having dark red skin and white flesh.

Predominance; ascendancy

A political unit having an extensive territory or comprising a number of territories or nations and ruled by a single supreme authority.

A kingdom, nation, or other sphere of influence; governed territory.

The territory included in such a unit.

(taxonomy) kingdom

An extensive enterprise under a unified authority:a publishing empire.

(Christianity) An order of angel in Christian angelology, ranked above virtues and below thrones.

Imperial or imperialistic sovereignty, domination, or control:the extension of empire to distant lands.

Sovereign or supreme authority; the power of governing and controlling; independent right of possession, use, and control; sovereignty; supremacy.

A political unit, typically having an extensive territory or comprising a number of territories or nations (especially one comprising one or more kingdoms) and ruled by a single supreme authority.

Superior prominence; predominance; ascendency.

A political unit ruled by an emperor or empress.

That which is governed; territory over which authority is exercised; the tract, district, or county, considered as subject; as, the dominions of a king. Also used figuratively; as, the dominion of the passions.

The group of states or other territories that owe allegiance to an imperial power (foreign to them), when distinguished from the native territory of that power; imperial possessions.

A supposed high order of angels; dominations. See Domination, 3.

An expansive and powerful enterprise under the control of one person or group.

Dominance or power through legal authority;

(Absolute) control, dominion, sway.

A region marked off for administrative or other purposes

Alternative case form of Empire.

One of the self-governing nations in the British Commonwealth

Supreme power; sovereignty; sway; dominion.

The dominion of an emperor; the territory or countries under the jurisdiction and dominion of an emperor (rarely of a king), usually of greater extent than a kingdom, always comprising a variety in the nationality of, or the forms of administration in, constituent and subordinate portions; as, the Austrian empire.

Any dominion; supreme control; governing influence; rule; sway; as, the empire of mind or of reason.

The domain ruled by an emperor or empress

A group of countries under a single authority;

A monarchy with an emperor as head of state

A group of diverse companies under common ownership and run as a single organization

An eating apple that somewhat resembles a McIntosh; used as both an eating and a cooking apple