Wordsmith.org: the magic of words


A.Word.A.Day

About | Media | Search | Contact  


Home

Today's Word

Yesterday's Word

Archives

FAQ



Dec 1, 2011
This week's theme
Illustrated words

This week's words
redolent
equable
terrene
hegemony
antediluvian

hegemony
Illustration: Leah Palmer Preiss

Discuss
Feedback
RSS/XML
Bookmark and Share Facebook Twitter Digg MySpace Bookmark and Share
A.Word.A.Day
with Anu Garg

hegemony

PRONUNCIATION:
(hi-JEM-uh-nee, HEJ-uh-moh-nee)

MEANING:
noun: Predominance over others, especially of a country over other countries.

ETYMOLOGY:
From Greek hegemonia (leadership), from hegemon (leader), from hegeisthai (to lead). Ultimately from the Indo-European root sag- (to seek out), which is also the source of seek, ransack, ramshackle, forsake, and sagacious. Earliest documented use: 1567.

USAGE:
US hegemony is declining -- the era of overbearing US power is coming to an end."
End Looks Near for American Hegemony; New Straits Times (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia); Nov 10, 2009.

See more usage examples of hegemony in Vocabulary.com's dictionary.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:
My life has been full of terrible misfortunes most of which never happened. -Michel de Montaigne, essayist (1533-1592)

We need your help

Help us continue to spread the magic of words to readers everywhere

Donate

Subscriber Services
Awards | Stats | Links | Privacy Policy
Contribute | Advertise

© 1994-2024 Wordsmith