diadem

plural diadems · alternative obsolete diademe

1. An ornamental headband worn as a badge of royalty.

   The Apollon wing of the Louvre has a set of historic crowns, diadems and sovereign jewellery.

   2025 October 19, Angelique Chrisafis, “‘Priceless’ jewellery stolen from Louvre in raid by ‘experienced’ thieves”, in The Guardian, →ISSN

2. A crown.

   I am his firſt borne ſonne, that vvas the laſt / That vvare the Imperiall Diademe of Rome, […]

   c. 1588–1593 (date written), [William Shakespeare], The Most Lamentable Romaine Tragedie of Titus Andronicus: […] (First Quarto), London: […] Iohn Danter, and are to be sold by Edward White & Thomas Millington, […], published 1594, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i], signature A3, recto

   2 more examples

   And vvhen the princely Perſean Diadem, / Shall ouervveigh his vvearie vvitleſſe head, / And fall like mellovved fruit, vvith ſhakes of death, / In faire Perſea noble Tamburlain / Shall be my Regent, and remaine as King:

   c. 1587–1588 (date written), [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire; London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act II, scene i

   The fever’d diadem on my brow / I claim’d and won usurpingly— / Hath not the same fierce heirdom given / Rome to the Caesar—this to me?

   1829, Edgar Allan Poe, “Tamerlane”, in Al Aaraaf, Tamerlane and Minor Poems

3. Regal power; sovereignty; empire—considered as symbolized by the crown.
4. governmentAn arch rising from the rim of a crown (rarely also of a coronet), and uniting with others over its centre.

present singular third person diadems · participle present diademming · participle present diademing · participle past diademmed · past diademmed · participle past diademed · past diademed · alternative obsolete diademe

1. To adorn with a diadem; to crown.

   Vardan, brave champion [or, “martyr”] who routed the enemy, You diademmed the Church in your rosy blood.

   1987, The Armenian Review, page 6

   4 more examples

   The star of her destiny is the morning star of the new-born century. O’er the Golden Gate it glitters, diademming this youthful Queen of the Pacific in her robes of freedom gorgeously inlaid with gold.

   1902, Horace G. Platt, “California”, in Harr Wagner, editor, Notable Speeches by Notable Speakers of the Greater West, San Francisco, Calif.: The Whitaker and Ray Company (Incorporated), page 215

   Paul cites as an example the Macedonian churches and mentions specifically several things about their liberality which adorn their grace and crown it with beauty as the lily work diademmed the pillars of the Temple.

   1920 January, G. J. Rousseau, “The Grace of Liberality”, in The Homiletic Review: An International Magazine of Religion, Theology, and Philosophy; Treats Every Phase of the Minister’s Work, volume LXXIX, number 1, New York, N.Y.; London: Funk and Wagnalls Company, section “Sermonic Literature”, page 72, column 1

   From many lands and from far distant climes have come great men and women to rest within our heart and to do great deeds and shape the noble events that have diademmed our crown with stars of splendor.

   1921, Linwood Taft, “Historic Festival and Pageant”, in The Technique of Pageantry, New York, N.Y.: A. S. Barnes and Company, part II, page 143

   butt (maomant scoffin, but apoxyomenously deturbaned but thems bleachin banes will be after making a bashman’s haloday out of the euphorious hagiohygiecynicism of his die and be diademmed).

   1939 May 4, James Joyce, Finnegans Wake, London: Faber and Faber Limited, →OCLC; republished London: Faber & Faber Limited, 1960, →OCLC, part II, page 353

   Antonyms: undiadem