dom-, domo-, domat-, domato-

(Greek > Latin: house, home; master or lord of the house)

condominial (adjective), more condominial, most condominial
A reference to a building or a complex of buildings that contain a number of individually owned apartments or houses: Mark's cousin was dealing with a real estate agent who could provide condominial quarters for several of his new employees that he was hiring for his expanding business.
condominium, condo (s) (noun); condominiums; condos (pl)
1. In architecture, an individually owned unit of real estate, especially an apartment or townhouse, in a building or on land that is owned in common by the owners of the units: Jim told his friend that he intended to buy a condominium before he retired because he was tired of renting an apartment.
2. A building or complex containing apartments or townhouses: The condominium on the corner has a great view of the ravine and river that is just across the street.
3. In politics, a country governed by two or more different countries with joint responsibilities: The countries on both sides of the river agreed to a condominium so that neither one would have sole ownership of the river and the commerce that used it.
4. Etymology: from Modern Latin, "joint sovereignty", apparently coined in German about 1700 from com-, "together" + dominum, "right of ownership".

The sense of "privately owned apartment" came into existence in American English, about 1962, as a special use of the legal term.

An apartment complex in which people can own their apartments.
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danger (s) (noun), dangers (pl)
1. Exposure or vulnerability to harm, injury, or loss: The lives of Karen and Karl were in danger when the earthquake struck their area.
2. Someone or something that may cause harm, injury, or loss: The two boys were aware of the danger involved in mountain climbing and took as many precautions as they could before starting their trip.
3. Etymology: "power of a lord or master, jurisdiction", from Anglo-French daunger, from Old French dangier, "power to harm, mastery"; alteration of dongier, from Vulgar Latin dominarium, "power of a lord", from Latin dominus, "lord, master"; so, danger is said to be a parallel formation of dominion.
dangerous (adjective), more dangerous, most dangerous
1. Relating to a cause or a result of harm or injury: Drinking too much alcohol can be dangerous to one's health.
2. Characteristic of the involvement of something that is perilous, hazardous, or risky and unsafe: Going down the torrent inn a raft was known to be quite dangerous.
dangerously (adverb), more dangerously, most dangerously
Characterized by how something or someone is likely to cause harm; hazardously; periously: When driving down the narrow road, I the car slipped dangerously down the icy slope.
daunt (verb), daunts; daunted; daunting
1. To make someone feel anxious, intimidated, or discouraged: When entering the haunted house, little Timmy was daunted by the scary images and old spiderwebs in the shadows that fell against the walls, and he felt a lot less courageous although he was with his big brother.
2. To make a person feel slightly frightened or worried about the ability to achieve something: After listening to all the performers in the recital, Jill felt quite daunted at playing her piece on the piano in front of all the others in the audience.
3. Etymology: from Old French danter, a form of donter, from Latin domitare, domare, "to tame, to subdue, to vanquish, to conquer"; literally, "to accustom to the house", from domus, "house".
daunting (adjective), more daunting, most daunting
1. Referring to something that is discouraging with the fear of failure: Bringing the war to an end is a daunting task.
2. Relating to the state of being depressed, intimidated, demoralized, or frightened: The fact that she was newly divorced was especially daunting to Mrs. Evens who had two little children to take care of.
dauntingly (adverb), more dauntingly, most dauntingly
A reference to how something discourages a person to take action: The politician said that it was dauntingly difficult to get people to pay any attention to the efforts to improve the economy.
dauntless (adjective), more dauntless, most dauntless
1. Invulnerable to fear or intimidation or incapable of being discouraged by threats: The comic book hero was the most dauntless and brave character ever to be imagined.

The dauntless soldier received a great deal of praise from his comrades for saving them from death after they had run out of ammunition and he had returned with a new supply of bullets, despite the dangers he had to face as he went back to them.
2. Unlikely or unable to be frightened or to be discouraged; not afraid: Carol's small but dauntless cat braved going out into the hall where she encountered the large cat which lived down the hall.

Bold, fearless, and persistent.
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Valiant, without fear, and brave.
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dauntlessly (adverb), more dauntlessly, most dauntlessly
A reference to how someone or an animal is fearful, but with determination: Dauntlessly, the captain led his troops into combat.
dauntlessness (s) (noun) (no pl)
Resolute courageousness and courageous determination to achieve an objective: fearlessness: When Mrs. Thompson first saw him, she noticed a dauntlessness about him, an appearance of fortitude and resolution.
despot (s) (noun), despots (pl)
1. A king or other ruler with absolute, unlimited power; an autocrat: Matt's uncle was a successful football coach, however a lot of people considered him to be a despot because he was always dictating what the players had to do during the games.
2. Any tyrant or oppressor: There are some despots, even in these modern times, who rule their people in cruel and inhumane ways.
3. Etymology: from Greek: despotes, "a master, a lord"; from Latin domus "house, home" + potis, "master, husband".

Originally, a title meaning "master", applied to certain classes of rulers, an honorary title applied to a Byzantine emperor, afterward to members of his family, and later to Byzantine vassal rulers and governors, then to bishops or patriarchs of the Greek Orthodox Church, etc. Now, it refers to anyone who is in charge and acts like a tyrant or a ruler who exercises his or her power in a harsh or oppressive way.

An absolute ruler, now a tyrant.
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despotic (adjective), more despotic, most despotic
Autocratic; tyrannical; descriptive of a person who controls others with absolute power: A despotic individual has the power to make decisions that others must accept and obey or they could lose their positions, privileges, benefits, or even be thrown out of an organization.
Having absolute power and control.
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Arbitrary and tyrannical.
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despotism (s) (noun), despotisms (pl)
A government controlled by an unrestricted authority, especially in a cruel and oppressive way: There have been many countries throughout history where people have existed in despotism, for example when the Germans had Adolf Hitler ruling them with absolute power.

Other names include the following modern dictators who have advocated despotism:

  • Joseph Stalin (U.S.S.R or Russia)
  • Mao Zedong (Mao Tse Tung) (China)
  • Kim Jong-il (North Korea)
  • Muammar Al-Gaddafi (Libya)
  • Robert Mugabe (Zimbabwe)
  • Plus many others throughout history!
An absolute power or control.
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despotocracy (s) (noun), despotocracies (pl)
A government controlled by a ruler or despot: A despotocracy is administered by a dictator or other person who holds absolute power, typically one who exercises it in a cruel or oppressive way.

Related "home; house" word units: ecdemo-; eco-; nosto-.

Cross references of word families related directly, or indirectly, to: "master, lead, leading, ruler, ruling, govern": -agogic; agon-; arch-; -crat; gov-; magist-; poten-; regi-; tyran-.