sceptre

• POS: Noun, Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: scep=tre

CIDE DICTIONARY

sceptre, n. [F. sceptre, L. sceptrum, from Gr. a staff to lean upon, a scepter; probably akin to E. shaft. See Shaft, and cf. Scape a stem, shaft.].

•  A staff or baton borne by a sovereign, as a ceremonial badge or emblem of authority; a royal mace.  [1913 Webster]

  "And the king held out Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand."  [1913 Webster]
•  Hence, royal or imperial power or authority; sovereignty; as, to assume the scepter.  [1913 Webster]

  "The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come."  [1913 Webster]

sceptre, v. t. 

 To endow with the scepter, or emblem of authority; to invest with royal authority.  [1913 Webster]
"To Britain's queen the sceptered suppliant bends."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

sceptre, n. (US scepter)
1 a staff borne esp. at a coronation as a symbol of sovereignty.
2 royal or imperial authority.

Derivative

sceptred adj.

Etymology

ME f. OF (s)ceptre f. L sceptrum f. Gk skeptron f. skepto lean on