wereldrijk

Dutch

Etymology

Compound of wereld (“world”) +‎ rijk (“empire”), possibly as a calque of German Weltreich.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈʋeː.rəltˌrɛi̯k/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: we‧reld‧rijk

Noun

wereldrijk m (plural wereldrijken, diminutive wereldrijkje n)

1. (literally) a global empire, that rules much of the (known) world

   Alexander de Grote, Genghis Khan noch Napoleon kon een wereldrijk vestigen

   Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan nor Napoleon managed actually to establish a world empire

2. a colonial empire which comprises at least part of every (known) continent

   Het Britse wereldrijk was beter bestuurd dan het Habsburgse.

   The British global empire was better administrated then the Habsburg empire

3. (figuratively) a 'world class' great power, which can rival any coexistent empire