Ascendancy

/əˈsɛndənsi/ noun

Definition

A position of power or control; the state of being most important, influential, or dominant over others or situations.

Etymology

Variant spelling of 'ascendance,' using the alternate suffix '-ancy' which was common in forming nouns from Latin verbs. Both forms emerged in the 16th-17th centuries.

Kelly Says

The 'Protestant Ascendancy' in Irish history is a striking example of how this word captures political and social dominance—it shaped Irish society for centuries and demonstrates how language reflects power structures.

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