Territories or regions under the control of a ruler or nation; also historically refers to self-governing countries within the British Commonwealth.
From Latin 'dominium' (lordship, ownership). In the British context, 'Dominion' was an official status for countries like Canada and Australia that had self-government but remained Commonwealth members.
The British Empire used the term 'dominion' to make colonies feel special—Canada, Australia, and New Zealand were 'dominions' rather than colonies, which gave them more pride and autonomy while keeping them firmly British, a clever political move.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.