Word of the Day

Diadem

di•a•dem
Pronunciation: \DY-uh-dem\
Function: noun
Etymology: Diadem derives from Greek diadema, "a band," from diadein, "to bind around," from dia, "through, across" + dein, "to bind."
1. A crown.
2. An ornamental headband worn (as by Eastern monarchs) as a badge of royalty.
3. Regal power; sovereignty; empire; -- considered as symbolized by the crown.

Function: transitive verb
1. To adorn with a diadem; to crown.

"Dead and gone is the British Raj in India, that most glittering jewel in the diadem of Queen Victoria."

— Jan Morris, "The Power Behind The Empire", Time Asia, August 12, 2002

Thanks to Constant Comment for today's WOTD entry