1
law
a
: complete and absolute (see absolute sense 3) ownership of land
our highways and roads have been in the domain of state and local governments—
T. H. White b. 1915
compare eminent domain
T. H. White b. 1915
b
: land so owned
2
: a territory over which dominion (see dominion sense 2) is exercised
The forest is part of the king's domain.
3
: a region distinctively marked by some physical feature
a domain of rushing streams, tall trees, and lakes
4
: a sphere (see sphere sense 4b) of knowledge, influence, or activity
the domain of biblical scholarship
outside the domain of city police
5
mathematics
: the set of elements (see element sense 2b(3)) to which a mathematical or logical variable is limited
specifically
: the set on which a function (see function entry 1 sense 5a) is defined
6
physics
: any of the small randomly oriented regions of uniform magnetization in a ferromagnetic substance
7
mathematics
: integral domain
8
biology
: the highest taxonomic category in biological classification ranking above the kingdom (see kingdom sense 4b)
9
biochemistry
: any of the three-dimensional subunits of a protein that are formed by the folding of its linear peptide chain and that together make up its tertiary (see tertiary entry 1 sense 3c) structure
10
computers
: a subdivision of the Internet consisting of computers or sites usually with a common purpose (such as providing commercial information) and denoted in Internet addresses by a unique abbreviation (such as com for commercial sites or gov for government sites)
The domain ca is used for sites located in Canada.
Synonyms
Examples of domain in a Sentence
The forest is part of the king's domain.
My sister is the math expert in the family, but literature is my domain.
Childcare is no longer solely a female domain.
Recent Examples on the Web
And every year, more and more books, music and films enter the public domain and help to inspire new creative ideas.
—David Morgan, CBS News, 12 Apr. 2024
Many successful games, including Tiddlywinks and Battleship, were created as commercial versions of homespun diversions, but if a game is in the public domain, any publisher can print their own version.
—Gavin Edwards, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2024
The series largely depends on archival footage from NASA, which is in the public domain, and the network’s own video.
—Stephen Battaglio, Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2024
These fundamental pillars—understanding your audience, delivering value, establishing trust—now take on new significance in the digital domain.
—Carol Howley, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
But the first of the Pooh books, published in 1926, entered the public domain in the U.S. on January 1, 2022, and Rhys Frake-Waterfield started shooting his horror-hack curio just three months later.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 27 Mar. 2024
In the early 1950s, King George VI’s lung cancer was kept out of the public domain.
—Karla Adam, Washington Post, 24 Mar. 2024
The death of Presley in 1977 sparked a contentious and lengthy legal battle over the unauthorized use of his name and likeness, as many argued that once a celebrity died, their name and image entered into the public domain.
—Kimberlee Kruesi, Fortune, 22 Mar. 2024
His domain included adobe-and-stone pyramids that towered several stories above the desert; an irrigation system that watered 15,000 acres of crops; and a large castle.
—Kathleen Duval, The Atlantic, 2 Apr. 2024
David Morgan, CBS News, 12 Apr. 2024
Many successful games, including Tiddlywinks and Battleship, were created as commercial versions of homespun diversions, but if a game is in the public domain, any publisher can print their own version.
—Gavin Edwards, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2024
The series largely depends on archival footage from NASA, which is in the public domain, and the network’s own video.
—Stephen Battaglio, Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2024
These fundamental pillars—understanding your audience, delivering value, establishing trust—now take on new significance in the digital domain.
—Carol Howley, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
But the first of the Pooh books, published in 1926, entered the public domain in the U.S. on January 1, 2022, and Rhys Frake-Waterfield started shooting his horror-hack curio just three months later.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 27 Mar. 2024
In the early 1950s, King George VI’s lung cancer was kept out of the public domain.
—Karla Adam, Washington Post, 24 Mar. 2024
The death of Presley in 1977 sparked a contentious and lengthy legal battle over the unauthorized use of his name and likeness, as many argued that once a celebrity died, their name and image entered into the public domain.
—Kimberlee Kruesi, Fortune, 22 Mar. 2024
His domain included adobe-and-stone pyramids that towered several stories above the desert; an irrigation system that watered 15,000 acres of crops; and a large castle.
—Kathleen Duval, The Atlantic, 2 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'domain.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Phrases Containing domain
Dictionary Entries Near domain
Cite this Entry
“Domain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/domain. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
domain
noun
do·main
dō-ˈmān 
də-
1
: a territory over which control is exercised
2
: an area of influence, knowledge, or activity
3
: a small region of a magnetic substance that contains atoms all lined up in the same direction and behaving like a single tiny magnet
4
: the highest category in the scientific classification of living things ranking above the kingdom
5
: a main subdivision of the Internet
also
: domain name
Etymology
from early French demeine "land one owns," from Latin dominium "rule, ownership," from dominus "master, owner" — related to condominium, dominate, dominion
Medical Definition
domain
noun
do·main
dō-ˈmān, də-
1
: any of the three-dimensional subunits of a protein that together make up its tertiary structure, that are formed by folding its linear peptide chain, and that are variously considered to be the basic units of protein structure, function, and evolution
immunoglobulin light chains have two domains and heavy chains have four or five domains, depending on class—Journal of the American Medical Association
Journal of the American Medical Association2
: the highest taxonomic category in biological classification ranking above the kingdom
More from Merriam-Webster on domain
Nglish: Translation of domain for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of domain for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about domain
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