dynasty
noun
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Dynasty Has Greek Roots
Dynasty has had quite the run in English. For over 600 years it’s been used to refer to a ruling family that maintains power generation after generation. At the time dynasty was first used in English, for example, England was in the midst of rule by the Plantagenet dynasty, whose line of succession provided 14 kings, from Henry II to Richard III. Around the beginning of the 19th century, the word developed the figurative sense “a group or family that dominates a particular field for generations.” Nowadays, this sense of dynasty is often applied to sports franchises that have prolonged runs of successful seasons, divine right not required. Technically, any team is capable of becoming this type of dynasty, including not only Kings and Royals, but also Ducks.
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Sports Dynasties
Dynasty has been in use in English for over 600 years, for most of that time referring to a ruling family that maintains power through succession. Around the beginning of the 19th century, the word developed the figurative sense “a group or family that dominates a particular field for generations.” Nowadays, this sense of dynasty is often applied to a sports franchise which has a prolonged run of successful seasons. The sports use appears to have begun in the early 20th century. An article in The Washington Post in 1905 refers to “John T. Brush’s baseball dynasty,” and by 1912 the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that “if players were free agents at the end of every two years, baseball dynasties such as those built up by the Cubs, Athletics, Detroits and Giants would not be possible.”
Examples of dynasty in a Sentence
Shelby Stewart, Essence, 9 Apr. 2025
Netanyahu was told to be reasonable on Turkey Since the fall of the Assad dynasty in Syria late last year, Israel and Turkey have been competing in the country over their separate interests there.
—Time, 9 Apr. 2025
This largely stems from their worst-to-first dynasty that began in the early 1990s, when the homegrown Tom Glavine and Steve Avery were joined by acquisitions like Greg Maddux, John Smoltz and Charlie Leibrandt to form elite level rotations.
—Tony Blengino, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
Among the youngest branches in the storied Kennedy family tree, Schlossberg represents just one part of the political dynasty's return to public life.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dynasty
Cite this Entry
“Dynasty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dynasty. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
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dynasty
noun
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