The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Scepter \Scep"ter\, Sceptre \Scep"tre\, n. [F. sceptre, L.
   sceptrum, from Gr. ? a staff to lean upon, a scepter;
   probably akin to E. shaft. See Shaft, and cf. Scape a
   stem, shaft.]
   1. A staff or baton borne by a sovereign, as a ceremonial
      badge or emblem of authority; a royal mace.
      [1913 Webster]

            And the king held out Esther the golden scepter that
            was in his hand.                      --Esther v. 2.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. Hence, royal or imperial power or authority; sovereignty;
      as, to assume the scepter.
      [1913 Webster]

            The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a
            lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come.
                                                  --Gen. xlix.
                                                  10.
      [1913 Webster] Scepter

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Scepter \Scep"ter\, Sceptre \Scep"tre\, v. t. [imp. & p. p.
   Scepteredor Sceptred (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Scepteringor
   Sceptring.]
   To endow with the scepter, or emblem of authority; to invest
   with royal authority.
   [1913 Webster]

         To Britain's queen the sceptered suppliant bends.
                                                  --Tickell.
   [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

scepter
    n 1: the imperial authority symbolized by a scepter [syn:
         scepter, sceptre]
    2: a ceremonial or emblematic staff [syn: scepter, sceptre,
       verge, wand]

Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

37 Moby Thesaurus words for "scepter":
   baton, caduceus, cap of dignity, cap of maintenance,
   chain of office, coronet, crook, crosier, cross-staff, crown,
   diadem, ermine, fasces, gavel, great seal, mace, mantle, orb,
   portfolio, privy seal, purple, purple pall, regalia, robe of state,
   rod, rod of empire, rod of office, royal crown, seal, signet,
   staff, tiara, triple plume, truncheon, uraeus, wand,
   wand of office



The Devil's Dictionary (1881-1906):

SCEPTER, n.  A king's staff of office, the sign and symbol of his
authority.  It was originally a mace with which the sovereign
admonished his jester and vetoed ministerial measures by breaking the
bones of their proponents.