WordGarden.ioprincipality
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /prˌɪnsɪpˈælɪti/
US
- /ˌprɪnsɪˈpælɪti/
Meanings
Noun
a state or territory ruled by a prince
the rank, office, or authority of a prince
an order of angels or spiritual powers in Christian theology
Beyond the definition
A principality is a territory or state ruled by a prince. It is often small, but the key idea is who rules it, not its size. In history, many of these places had a good deal of local control while still sitting inside a larger empire or under a more powerful ruler. You will often meet the word in stories about medieval Europe, but it also applies to modern places such as Monaco and Liechtenstein. The word has an old-world feel and often brings to mind courts, titles, and careful politics.
The word "principality" refers to a territory or state ruled by a prince. Sometimes it is fully sovereign, and sometimes it exists within a larger political system while keeping a large measure of self-rule. The word does not simply mean "small kingdom." Its central idea is rule by a prince and the political unit connected to that ruler.
The term appears often in European history, where many regions in places such as Germany and Italy were organized this way. Some were independent, while others were tied to empires or larger crowns. Today, Monaco and Liechtenstein are the best-known modern examples. In this sense, the word belongs to history, government, and geography, and it suggests a formal, high-ranking realm with its own identity.
"Principality" also has a second, less common meaning in religion and older writing. In Christian theology, "Principalities" can refer to a rank of angels or spiritual powers. That is why the phrase "principalities and powers" appears in the Bible and in older literature. So the word may point either to a land ruled by a prince or, in a religious setting, to a spiritual order or power. While it is not common in everyday speech, it still matters in history, politics, theology, and classic texts.
Examples
- 1
Small state
Monaco is a small principality on the Mediterranean coast.
- 2
Legal status
The treaty recognized the region as an independent principality.
- 3
Formal name
The document used the country’s formal name, the Principality of Monaco.
- Phrasethe Principality of Monaco
Monaco’s official formal name
See also
Forms and spellings
2 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- principalitynoun
Forms
- principalitiespluralnoun