Meaning & use
imperator
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Meaning
nouncountable
In ancient Rome, a title given to a victorious general, later used by emperors.
Grammar: Countable; often capitalized when used as a title: Imperator Caesar.
Patterns
- be declared imperator
- the title of imperator
- Imperator Caesar
After the victory, the soldiers proclaimed their commander imperator.
The title imperator was originally a military honor, not a political office.
Augustus took imperator as part of his official name.
Word forms
| plural | imperators |
|---|
Common combinations
- be hailed as imperator
- The general was hailed as imperator by his troops.
- the title of imperator
- He was granted the title of imperator for his victories.
- Imperator Caesar
- Coins often bore the words Imperator Caesar.
Synonyms and how they differ
Word family
Commonly confused: imperator or emperor?
imperator vs emperor
Emperor is the modern English word for a ruler of an empire; imperator is the Latin title used in ancient Rome.
Practice
In ancient Rome, what did the title 'imperator' originally mean?
Choose one answer.
Imperator was first a title for a successful general, not a political or religious office. It later became associated with emperors.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “imperator”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.