Word of the Week: Hegemony

Hegemony is a noun, but can be used as an adjective, hegemonic. Defined as the dominance or leadership of one social group over others, hegemony derives from the Greek word hegemonia (political supremacy), which derives from the Greek verb hēgeisthai (leader). The definition of hegemony has changed overtime. First, hegemony referred to the control once wielded by the ancient Greek states; however, by the 20th century, it was used to describe the dominance or leadership of one social group over others. 

Hegemony has been observed since civilization began. For example, by 800 A.D., Charelmagne’s empire achieved hegemony throughout Europe, with dominance and leadership over the present-day France, Switzerland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Italy, and parts of Austria and Spain. 

There can also be hegemony among ideas and not just land and people. For example, during the Cold War, hegemony was observed between the ideological beliefs of communism and capitalism. 

Synonyms
Supremacy, domination 

Sentence 
Sara, Lily, Arzo, and Jolly all aspired to hegemony after their business had been acquired.

Main sources 
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hegemony
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hegemony

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