Imperial facts for kids

Imperial is a word that can mean a couple of different things. It often describes things connected to a powerful country led by an Emperor, which is called an empire. It can also refer to a specific way of measuring things, known as Imperial units.

What Does 'Imperial' Mean?

Imperial: About Empires and Emperors

When we talk about something being "imperial" in this sense, it means it belongs to or is related to an empire. An empire is a very large group of countries or territories controlled by one ruler or government. This ruler is often called an Emperor (for a male ruler) or an Empress (for a female ruler).

For example, you might hear about "imperial palaces" or "imperial armies." This means these palaces or armies belonged to an empire or its emperor. These empires were often very powerful and had a big influence on the world.

Imperial: A System of Measurement

"Imperial" can also describe a system of weights and measures. This system, called Imperial units, was once widely used by the old British Empire. Many places that were part of or influenced by the British Empire still use some of these measurements today.

This system includes units like:

• inches and feet for measuring length.
• ounces and pounds for measuring weight or mass.
• Other measurements like yards, miles, pints, and gallons.

These units are different from the International System of Units, which is also known as the metric system. The metric system uses units like meters for length and liters for volume. Many English-speaking countries still use a mix of both imperial and metric units in everyday life.

See also

In Spanish: Imperial para niños