principality
n.a small country or area that is ruled by a prince or princess. It is a type of monarchy where the leader is a member of a royal family.
n.a sovereign state or territory governed by a prince or princess. Often used in historical contexts to describe small European states or regions under the rule of a monarch.
“The small principality is famous for its beautiful mountains.”
“During the nineteenth century, the principality maintained its independence despite being surrounded by larger empires.”
“The treaty established the principality as a buffer state, granting the local ruler significant autonomy in exchange for a formal alliance with the central government.”
“The move puts the principality in the majority among nearby nations with royal families.”
From Middle English principalte, principalite, from Anglo-Norman principalté, Middle French principalté, from Late Latin prīncipālitās, from Latin prīncipālis (“principal”) + -tās. Equivalent to principal + -ity.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.