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Origin and history of reign

reign(n.)

early 13c., regne, "kingdom, state governed by a monarch," senses now obsolete, from Old French reigne "kingdom, land, country" (Modern French règne), from Latin regnum "kingship, dominion, rule, realm," which is related to regere "to rule, to direct, keep straight, guide" (from PIE root *reg- "move in a straight line," with derivatives meaning "to direct in a straight line," thus "to lead, rule").

From late 14c. as "sovereignty, royal authority, dominion." Hence, generally, "power, influence, or sway like that of a king" (by 1725). The meaning "period of time during which a monarch occupies a throne," used for dating, is recorded from mid-14c.

reign(v.)

late 13c., regnen, "to hold or exercise sovereign or royal power in a state," also of God, Christ, the Virgin Mary, from Old French regner "rule, reign" (12c.), from Latin regnare "have royal power, be king, rule, reign," from regnum "kingship, dominion, rule, realm," which is related to regere "to rule, to direct, keep straight, guide" (from PIE root *reg- "move in a straight line," with derivatives meaning "to direct in a straight line," thus "to lead, rule"). Of customs, vices, etc. in a particular place, early 14c. Related: Reigned; reigning; regnal.

also from late 13c.

Entries linking to reign

arraign(v.)

late 14c., araynen, "to call to account," also "to call up on a criminal charge," from Old French araisnier "speak to, address; accuse (in a law court)," from Vulgar Latin *arrationare, from Latin adrationare, from ad "to" (see ad-) + *rationare, from ratio "argumentation; reckoning, calculation," from rat-, past-participle stem of reri "to reckon, calculate," also "think" (from PIE root *re- "to reason, count"). The unetymological -g- is a 16c. overcorrection based on reign, etc. Related: Arraigned; arraigning.

regnant(adj.)

"reigning, exercising authority" by hereditary right, c. 1600, from Latin regnantem (nominative regnans) "reigning," present participle of regnare "to reign" (see reign).

The alternative adjective regnal (1610s) means "pertaining to a reign," especially in reference to the year or day a sovereign's reign began. Related: Regnancy.

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sovereign
late 13c., soverain, "superior, ruler, master, one who is superior to or has power over another," from Old French soverain "sovereign, lord, ruler," noun use of adjective meaning "highest, supreme, chief" (see sovereign (adj.)). Specifically by c. 1300 as "a king or queen, one wh
predominate
1590s, "to have or exert controlling power," from Medieval Latin praedominatus, past participle of *praedominare from Latin prae "before" (see pre-) + dominari "to rule, dominate, to govern," from dominus "lord, master," from domus "house" (from PIE root *dem- "house, household")
dominate
1610s, "to rule over, control by mastery," a back-formation from domination or else from Latin dominatus, past participle of dominari "to rule, dominate, to govern," from dominus "lord, master," from domus "house" (from PIE root *dem- "house, household"). Meaning "have chief infl
dinette
The Court dinner-hour, in the reign of George III., was at the Hanoverian hour of four o'clock....During the reign of George IV. it gradually crept up to six o'clock, and finally became steady at the Indian hour of seven..., and so remained until the reign of Her Most gracious Majesty, when the formal Court dinner-hour became eight o'clock....
Saturn
An ancient Italic deity, popularly believed to have appeared in Italy in the reign of Janus, and to have instructed the people...His reign was sung by the poets as "the golden age."...
interregnum
1580s, from Latin interregnum "an interval between two reigns," literally "between-reign," from inter "between" (see inter...
chiliasm
"the doctrine of the millennium (suggested by Revelation xx), the theological opinion that Christ and the saints will reign...
dominion
mid-15c., "lordship, sovereign or supreme authority," from Old French dominion "dominion, rule, power" and directly from Medieval Latin dominionem (nominative dominio), corresponding to Latin dominium "property, ownership," from dominus "lord, master," from domus "house" (from PI
override
Middle English overriden, from Old English oferridan "to ride across, ride through or over," from ofer "over" (see over) + ridan "to ride" (see ride (v.)). Originally literal, of cavalry, etc. Figurative meaning "to set aside arrogantly" is by 1827, from the notion of "to trample
prevail
c. 1400, prevailen, "be successful; be efficacious," from Old French prevaleir (Modern French prévaloir) and directly from Latin praevalere "be stronger or more able, have greater power," from prae "before" (see pre-) + valere "have power, be strong" (from PIE root *wal- "to be s

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