Dynasty
Succession of rulers
A dynasty is a succession of rulers from the same family line, passing power through generations: the Ming dynasty, the Habsburg dynasty.
The term extends to any family that maintains prominence over time in business, politics, or entertainment: a banking dynasty, a Hollywood dynasty.
In sports, dynasty describes teams that dominate their league across multiple seasons.
Following in order
- heirOne who receives legacy
- bloodlineAncestry through generations
- throneCeremonial chair for sovereigns
- reignSovereign's time in power
ancestor · descendant · hereditary · monarch · sovereign · royal · crown · inheritance
Domain under unified control
- conglomerateCorporation spanning many industries
- familyRelated people together
- RockefellerIndustrial dynasty surname
- MurdochMedia conglomerate founder
Walton · Koch · Samsung · Ford · tycoon · mogul · heir · fortune
Competition for top rank
- franchiseLicensed business operation
- legacyWhat's passed down
- PatriotsBoston-area NFL franchise
- YankeesNew York baseball franchise
Lakers · Bulls · dominance · titles · rings · consecutive · era · powerhouse
Domain under unified control
- pharaohAncient Egyptian ruler
- MingChinese imperial era, 1368–1644
- HanChina's largest ethnicity
- TangMedieval Chinese empire
Mughal · Ottoman · Hapsburg · Bourbon · Tudor · Romanov · Ptolemaic · Merovingian
Fatty alkali cleanser
- dramaTheatrical art or turmoil
- ColbySemi-hard American cheese
- glamourFascinating, elegant attractiveness
- mansionLarge, stately home
Carrington · catfight · shoulder pads · eighties · prime-time · reboot · intrigue · wealth
succession
Following in order
- heirOne who receives legacy
- bloodlineAncestry through generations
- throneCeremonial chair for sovereigns
reign · ancestor · descendant · hereditary · monarch · sovereign · royal · crown · inheritance · lineage
empire
Domain under unified control
- conglomerateCorporation spanning many industries
- familyRelated people together
- RockefellerIndustrial dynasty surname
Murdoch · Walton · Koch · Samsung · Ford · tycoon · mogul · heir · fortune · wealth
championship
Competition for top rank
Yankees · Lakers · Bulls · dominance · titles · rings · consecutive · era · powerhouse · team
empire
Domain under unified control
Tang · Mughal · Ottoman · Hapsburg · Bourbon · Tudor · Romanov · Ptolemaic · Merovingian · Carolingian
soap
Fatty alkali cleanser
- dramaTheatrical art or turmoil
- ColbySemi-hard American cheese
- glamourFascinating, elegant attractiveness
Carrington · mansion · catfight · shoulder pads · eighties · prime-time · reboot · intrigue · wealth · rivalry
- Primetime SoapsDallas, Falcon Crest, J.R. Ewing, cliffhanger, cliff-hanger
- 80sbig hair, mullets, shoulder pads, new wave, synth-pop
- Retro TVI Love Lucy, The Honeymooners, Leave It to Beaver, The Andy Griffith Show, The Twilight Zone
- Rebooted FranchisesSpider-Man, Batman, Star Trek, Planet of the Apes, Ghostbusters
- rice brandsUncle Ben's, Carolina, Tilda, Kohinoor, Della
Dynastyinterregnum
Rulership gap period
democracy · revolution · republic · overthrow · meritocracy
Dynastyflash in the pan
Short-lived success
interregnum · caretaker government · transitional government · regency
Dynastyself-made man
One who succeeds independently
nouveau riche · upstart · parvenu · meritocracy · outsider
- Ming DynastyChinese imperial house, 1368-1644
- family dynastySuccession within one bloodline
- political dynastiesKin monopolizing elected power
- political dynastyFamily holding power generationally
- ancient dynastyHistorical ruling family line
- royal dynastiesSuccessive generations of monarchs