Etymology

Holy Roman Empire

Today it means: A former polity and medieval empire forming a loose conglomeration of largely independent mostly Germanic entities in Central Europe from at least 962 C.E. until 1806. Full definition →

German Heiliges Römisches Reich ← Medieval Latin Sacrum Rōmānum Imperium
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The story

  1. Medieval Latin · calque ofSacrum Rōmānum Imperium
  2. German · calque ofHeiliges Römisches Reich
  3. English todayHoly Roman Empire

Calque of German Heiliges Römisches Reich and Medieval Latin Sacrum Rōmānum Imperium.

First known use, by meaning

  • from 17th c. A former polity and medieval empire forming a loose conglomeration of largely independent mostly Germanic entities in Central Europe from at least 962 C.E. until 1806.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.