governancyn.
/ˈɡʌvn̩ənsi/, /ˈɡʌvənənsi/, U.S. /ˈɡəvərnənsi/ Now rare.
The office or function of governing; spec. the office or function of governor. Cf. governorship n.
ΘΚΠ
society > authority > rule or government > [noun]
onwaldeOE
wissingc1000
governc1300
shield1338
governaila1382
governancec1384
hierarchy1390
regimenta1393
rulea1393
rulec1405
governationc1410
leadingc1430
governmentc1450
gubernance1455
domination1490
moderation1526
governancy1540
ditiona1552
ruledom1553
rectory1572
sway1586
diocese1596
raj1857
1540 R. Pate in State Papers Henry VIII (1849) VIII. 364 Putting hym in trust with thaffers and governancie of your hole Realme.
1693 in Colonial Rec. Pennsylvania (1852) I. 414 And as to other reasons rendred for the Superseding our proprietor's governancie.
1784 Laura & Augustus II. 50 I preferred the lieutenant governancy of Dominica.]
1852 J. S. Knowles Idol Demolished (ed. 2) iii. 311 The honours of the bar were placed within their reach; Parliament was thrown open to them; Governancies were at their acceptance.
1875 Georgia Weekly Tel. 31 Aug. 1/2 The Governancy has been the persimmon that James has been reaching for these eight years.
1919 Mediation Honduran-Guatemalan Boundary Question (U.S. Dept. of State) I. 61 The governancy of Honduras passed into the hands of Alvarado.
2013 A. Horning Ireland in Virginian Sea iii. 214 Their answer to the charge that Phillips should be retained in his governancy.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2015; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1540