principality

From Middle English principalte, principalite, from Anglo-Norman principalté, Middle French principalté, from Late Latin prīncipālitās, from Latin prīncipālis (“principal”) + -tās. Equivalent to principal +‎ -ity.

• IPA^(key): /pɹɪnsɪˈpælɪti/

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• Hyphenation: prin‧ci‧pal‧i‧ty

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principality (countable and uncountable, plural principalities)

1. (countable) A region or sovereign nation headed by a prince or princess. [from 14th c.]
   • 1990, Peter Hopkirk, The Great Game, Folio Society, published 2010, page 14:

     At this time Russia consisted of a dozen or so principalities, which were frequently at war with one another.

2. (theology, countable) A spiritual being, specifically in Christian angelology, the fifth level of angels, ranked above powers and below dominions. [from 16th c.]
3. (obsolete) The state of being a prince or ruler; sovereignty, absolute authority. [14th–19th c.]
4. (now rare) The state of being principal; pre-eminence. [from 14th c.]

• choirs of angels
• dominion
• power