sceptre

noun SEP-truh Rare

Origin: From Latin 'sceptrum', from Greek 'skeptron' (staff, support).

Usage Note

Sceptre is the ceremonial staff held by monarchs as a symbol of sovereignty. In French historical and heraldic contexts it appears frequently, as the French royal sceptre is one of the Regalia de France. The word is rarely used outside its symbolic and ceremonial meaning, though it can appear metaphorically for absolute power.

Examples

"Le roi tenait le sceptre de la main droite."

Natural Translation

The king held the sceptre in his right hand.

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