Adjacent Words

Scepter definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

SCEP'TER, n. [L. sceptrum; Gr. from to send or thrust; coinciding with L. scipio, that is, a shoot or rod.]
1. A staff or batoon borne by kings on solemn occasions, as a badge of authority. Hence,
2. The appropriate ensign of royalty; an ensign of higher antiquity than the crown. Hence,
3. Royal power or authority; as, to assume the scepter.
The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, till Shiloh come. Genesis 49.
4. A constellation.
SCEP'TER, v.t. To invest with royal authority, or with the ensign of authority.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: the imperial authority symbolized by a scepter [syn: scepter, sceptre]
2: a ceremonial or emblematic staff [syn: scepter, sceptre, verge, wand]

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Etymology: Middle English sceptre, from Anglo-French septre, from Latin sceptrum, from Greek sk?ptron staff, scepter, from sk?ptesthai to prop oneself — more at shaft Date: 14th century 1. a staff or baton borne by a sovereign as an emblem of authority 2. royal or imperial authority ; sovereignty II. transitive verb (sceptered; sceptering) Date: 1526 to invest with the scepter in token of royal authority

Oxford Reference Dictionary

US var. of SCEPTRE.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Scepter Scep"ter, Sceptre Scep"tre, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Scepteredor Sceptred (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Scepteringor Sceptring.] To endow with the scepter, or emblem of authority; to invest with royal authority. To Britain's queen the sceptered suppliant bends. --Tickell.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Scepter Scep"ter, Sceptre Scep"tre, n. [F. sceptre, L. sceptrum, from Gr. ? a staff to lean upon, a scepter; probably akin to E. shaft. See Shaft, and cf. Scape a stem, shaft.] 1. A staff or baton borne by a sovereign, as a ceremonial badge or emblem of authority; a royal mace. And the king held out Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. --Esther v. 2. 2. Hence, royal or imperial power or authority; sovereignty; as, to assume the scepter. The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come. --Gen. xlix. 10.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(scepters) see sceptre

Moby Thesaurus

baton, caduceus, cap of dignity, cap of maintenance, chain of office, coronet, crook, crosier, cross-staff, crown, diadem, ermine, fasces, gavel, great seal, mace, mantle, orb, portfolio, privy seal, purple, purple pall, regalia, robe of state, rod, rod of empire, rod of office, royal crown, seal, signet, staff, tiara, triple plume, truncheon, uraeus, wand, wand of office