Definition of sceptre in English:
sceptre
An ornamented staff carried by rulers on ceremonial occasions as a symbol of sovereignty.
（象征君主权位的）节杖imperial regalia of orb and sceptrefigurative a blue worker's smock is his robe of office, his sceptre a venerable hoe- The roof is ornamented with three cherubs, representing England, Scotland and Ireland, supporting the royal crown and holding the sceptre, sword of state and ensign of knighthood.
- As an act of humility, before a mass to which she had invited the poor, she gave the royal scepter to the most indigent and had the royal crown placed on his head.
- Room after room of the Armoury reveals incredible riches, including the imperial crown, mace and sceptre of the Tsars.
- Each was swathed in robes of black, and all carried the sceptre that befitted their station.
- In her left hand she carries the sceptre of state; in her right the orb.
baton, stick, staff, pole, bar, dowel, rod, stake
Derivatives
sceptred
- We have it on no less an authority than the Foreign Secretary that this is the favourite dish of choice up and down these sceptred isles from whence the touring party was recruited.
- There are also excellent specimens of sceptered and reverse-sceptered (sometimes called castellated) quartz crystals.
- Already, there were tales last week of German beef being cut up in Ireland and repackaged for the supermarket shelves of this sceptred isle.
- The great emperor was revealed sitting on a throne, crowned and sceptered, and surprisingly well preserved.
- This is the second disc in another excellent series devoted to the rich seam of British Light Overtures, an area in which the composers from this sceptred isle were extremely prolific.
Origin
Middle English: from Old French ceptre, via Latin from Greek skēptron, from skēptein (alteration of skēptesthai) 'lean on'.
The sceptre carried by modern rulers on ceremonial occasions is generally a short ornamented stick, but the word's origin shows that it was originally longer. The word came into medieval English from Old French ceptron, but goes back to Greek skēptron, from skēptein ‘to lean on’. Ancient Greek vase paintings show kings holding tall sceptres long enough to lean on. This sceptred isle is Britain. The term comes from John of Gaunt's description of the island in Shakespeare's Richard II: ‘This royal throne of kings, this sceptred isle…This precious stone set in the silver sea.’
Definition of scepter in US English:
scepter
An ornamented staff carried by rulers on ceremonial occasions as a symbol of sovereignty.
（象征君主权位的）节杖imperial regalia of orb and scepterfigurative a blue worker's smock is his robe of office, his scepter a venerable hoe- Room after room of the Armoury reveals incredible riches, including the imperial crown, mace and sceptre of the Tsars.
- The roof is ornamented with three cherubs, representing England, Scotland and Ireland, supporting the royal crown and holding the sceptre, sword of state and ensign of knighthood.
- In her left hand she carries the sceptre of state; in her right the orb.
- Each was swathed in robes of black, and all carried the sceptre that befitted their station.
- As an act of humility, before a mass to which she had invited the poor, she gave the royal scepter to the most indigent and had the royal crown placed on his head.
baton, stick, staff, pole, bar, dowel, rod, stake
Origin
Middle English: from Old French ceptre, via Latin from Greek skēptron, from skēptein (alteration of skēptesthai) ‘lean on’.