kingdom

[king´dum]

1. in the classification of living organisms, the highest of the categories; the most widely used classification system lists five kingdoms: monera, protista, fungi, Planta (the plants, and Animalia (the animals).

2. traditionally, one of three major categories into which natural objects may be classified, consisting of the animal, plant, and mineral kingdoms.

king·dom

(king'dŭm),

The highest taxonomic category into which living forms are classified, comprising Monera (bacteria and blue-green algae), Protista (protozoa and eukaryotic algae), Fungi (fungi), Plantae (plants), and Animalia (animals).

[A.S. cyningdōm, fr. cyning, king, + -dom, state, condition]

Farlex Partner Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012

kingdom

(kĭng′dəm)

1. In the Linnean taxonomic system, the highest taxonomic category into which organisms are grouped, based on fundamental similarities and common ancestry. One widely used taxonomic system designates five or six such groups: animals, plants, fungi, protists, and prokaryotes (often divided into bacteria and archaea). Other systems divide organisms into domains (eukaryotes, bacteria, and archaea) that replace or rank above kingdoms.

2. One of the three main divisions (animal, vegetable, and mineral) into which natural organisms and objects have traditionally been classified.

kingdom

the highest taxonomic grouping (TAXON) in some CLASSIFICATIONS. In older classifications, five kingdoms are recognised: PLANTAE, ANIMALIA, FUNGI, PROTISTA and MONERA. In more recent classifications, based on genetic structures and sequences, many other groupings of equivalent status to kingdom (though in some BACTERIA referred to as PHYLA) are recognized.

Collins Dictionary of Biology, 3rd ed. © W. G. Hale, V. A. Saunders, J. P. Margham 2005

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References in classic literature

how it grieves me that I had him killed!' 'He is still alive,' said the huntsman; 'and I am glad that I had pity on him, but let him go in peace, and brought home his royal coat.' At this the king was overwhelmed with joy, and made it known thoughout all his kingdom, that if his son would come back to his court he would forgive him.

The time soon came, when the eldest brother thought that he would make haste to go to the princess, and say that he was the one who had set her free, and that he should have her for his wife, and the kingdom with her.

So he journeyed on, thinking of her all the way, and rode so quickly that he did not even see what the road was made of, but went with his horse straight over it; and as he came to the gate it flew open, and the princess welcomed him with joy, and said he was her deliverer, and should now be her husband and lord of the kingdom. When the first joy at their meeting was over, the princess told him she had heard of his father having forgiven him, and of his wish to have him home again: so, before his wedding with the princess, he went to visit his father, taking her with him.

And now the old king gathered together his court, and asked all his kingdom to come and celebrate the wedding of his son and the princess.

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The only thing that troubled him was the reflection that this kingdom was in the land of the blacks, and that the people they would give him for vassals would be all black; but for this he soon found a remedy in his fancy, and said he to himself, "What is it to me if my vassals are blacks?

"Towards what kingdom would your ladyship direct our course?

She, being ready on all points, understood that she was to answer "Yes," so she said "Yes, senor, my way lies towards that kingdom."

"In that case," said the curate, "we must pass right through my village, and there your worship will take the road to Cartagena, where you will be able to embark, fortune favouring; and if the wind be fair and the sea smooth and tranquil, in somewhat less than nine years you may come in sight of the great lake Meona, I mean Meotides, which is little more than a hundred days' journey this side of your highness's kingdom."

"There's no doubt of that," replied Sancho, "for I have known many to take their name and title from the place where they were born and call themselves Pedro of Alcala, Juan of Ubeda, and Diego of Valladolid; and it may be that over there in Guinea queens have the same way of taking the names of their kingdoms."

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So they had two kingdoms and lived in great wealth.

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The Maintenance and Technical Support Depot is a multi-million dollar HIMAD missile inspection facility that enables the RSADF to inspect missiles in the Kingdom, precluding the requirement to send them back to the U.S.

Saudi Arabia: the changing paradigm and implications for the United States Military Training Mission

The kingdom does have serious economic and political problems.

The Saudi problem: ignore the press reports. If the goal is stability, Saudi Arabia is becoming more stable today than in years past