Dominion

do·min·ion   (də-mĭn'yən)    n.   Control or the exercise of control; sovereignty: "The devil . . . has their souls in his possession, and under his dominion" (Jonathan Edwards). A territory or sphere of influence or control; a realm. often Dominion Abbr. Dom. One of the self-governing nations within the British Commonwealth. dominions Christianity See domination. [Middle English dominioun, from Old French dominion, from Medieval Latin dominiō, dominiōn-, from Latin dominium, property, from dominus, lord; see dem- in Indo-European roots.]

dominion 

Main Entry: do·min·ion
Pronunciation: d&-'min-y&n
Function: noun
1 a : supreme authority : SOVEREIGNTY b : a territory over which such authority is exercised c often cap : a self-governing nation (as Canada) of the Commonwealth other than the United Kingdom that acknowledges the British monarch as the head of state
2 : the power (as authority) or right (as ownership) to use or dispose of property; specifically : absolute or exclusive use, control, ownership, or possession of property dominion and control —W. M. McGovern, Junior et al.> dominion over the vehicle>

dominion

the status, prior to 1939, of each of the British Commonwealth countries of Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the Union of South Africa, Eire, and Newfoundland. Although there was no formal definition of dominion status, a pronouncement by the Imperial Conference of 1926 described Great Britain and the dominions as "autonomous communities within the British Empire, equal in status, in no way subordinate one to another in any aspect of their domestic or external affairs, though united by a common allegiance to the Crown and freely associated as members of the British Commonwealth of Nations."

Learn more about dominion with a free trial on Britannica.com.