n., pl., -pe·ri·a (-pîr'ē-ə).
- Absolute rule; supreme power.
- A sphere of power or dominion; an empire.
- Law. The right or power of a state to enforce the law.
[Latin. See empire.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
