dynasty
noun
Did you know?
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.
Did you know?
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
Lydia Wang, Vulture, 1 Nov. 2024
The dynasty that followed started drawing fans back in greater numbers, however, and by 2008—the last season at the old Yankee Stadium—the club drew 4.3 million fans and made $266.6 million in ticket revenue.
—Brendan Coffey, Sportico.com, 25 Oct. 2024
In 1988, Abramović and Ulay positioned themselves at either end of the Great Wall of China, the ancient 13,000-mile-long Ming dynasty monument, and began walking.
—Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 Oct. 2024
One aspect of Uprising that Kim wanted to stand out was the design of the Gyeongbokgung Palace, the main royal palace during the Joseon dynasty.
—Sara Merican, Deadline, 14 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for dynasty 
Cite this Entry
“Dynasty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dynasty. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
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dynasty
noun
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