- Celestial empire
- Celestial Ce*les"tial, a. [OF. celestial, celestied, fr. L.
caelestic, fr. caelum heaved. See {Cell}.]
1. Belonging to the a["e]rial regions, or visible heavens.
``The twelve celestial signs.'' --Shak.
[1913 Webster]
2. Of or pertaining to the spiritual heaven; heavenly; divine. ``Celestial spirits.'' ``Celestial light,'' --Milton. [1913 Webster]
3. Of, pertaining to, or characteristic of, the Chinese, or Celestial, Empire, of the Chinese people. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
{Celestial city}, heaven; the heavenly Jerusalem. --Bunyan.
{Celestial empire}, China; -- so called from the Chinese words, tien chan, Heavenly Dynasty, as being the kingdom ruled over by the dynasty appointed by heaven. --S. W. Williams. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.