herrschaftlich

Herrschaftlich is a German adjective that denotes relation to lordship, rule, or ruling power. It can describe something that belongs to or is characteristic of a ruler or ruling class, and it can carry a sense of majesty or authority as well as a hint of domination.

From Herrschaft (lordship, dominion) plus the suffix -lich, the term has historical use in both political and social discourse. It commonly appears in two broad senses: a) political or territorial, referring to governance, sovereignty, or property held by the state or nobility; b) referential to demeanor or style that is authoritative, imposing, or aristocratic in tone.

Examples include herrschaftliche Güter (estate held by a lord), herrschaftliche Macht (sovereign power), herrschaftliches Auftreten (an authoritarian or stately manner), and herrschaftliche Architektur (palatial architecture). The connotation ranges from neutral descriptive to critical, depending on context.

In contemporary German, the term is more formal or literary and may sound elevated outside historical writing. Synonyms or near-equivalents include herrschaftsbezogen, adelig, majestätisch in positive sense, or autoritär/dominant in negative contexts.