emirate
UK[ˈemɪrət]US[ˈemɪrət]
n
a territory or country ruled by an emir.
n
the office, rank, or period of rule of an emir.
Morpheme Breakdown
emir
ate
emir
commander, prince
ate
Etymology
the word 'emirate' entered english in the late 16th century via french 'émirat', which itself was derived from arabic 'amīr' (commander, prince). the arabic term 'amīr' originates from the root 'amara', meaning 'to command'. the suffix '-ate', of latin origin, was added to denote a state, office, or jurisdiction, a pattern common in english for forming words like 'caliphate' or 'duchy'. thus, 'emirate' literally translates to 'the office or domain of a commander,' evolving to specifically mean a political territory governed by an emir, often used in reference to the constituent states of federal systems like the united arab emirates.
Analysis
Structure: emir + ate
emir (from arabic 'amīr', meaning 'commander, prince') + ate (from latin '-ātus', a suffix forming nouns of state, office, or function).
Examples
the united arab emirates is a federation of seven sovereign emirates.
he inherited the emirate from his father and ruled for over two decades.
the wealth of the emirate is largely derived from its oil reserves.