monarchy

noun

mon·​ar·​chy ˈmä-nər-kē 

also -ˌnär-

plural monarchies

1

: undivided rule or absolute sovereignty by a single person

Saudi Arabia is governed by a monarchy.

2

: a nation or state having a monarchical government

Britain is a monarchy.

3

: a government having a hereditary chief of state with life tenure and powers varying from nominal to absolute

The country's hereditary monarchy survived for centuries.

Examples of monarchy in a Sentence

the French monarchy of the 18th century

Recent Examples on the Web

In May, the royal family recovered somewhat in popularity, with 64% polled by Norstat supporting the monarchy and 23% wanting a different system of governance. —Reuters, CNN Money, 15 June 2026

All this will rankle many, particularly young people, who are less likely to own their own homes and whose support for the monarchy is already in decline. —The Week Uk, TheWeek, 14 June 2026

The move was welcomed by animal rights campaigners who saw it as a positive step towards a more modern monarchy. —Jennifer Hassan, USA Today, 14 June 2026

RadarOnline is reporting that Ferguson is at the center of a dispute within the royal family after asking for financial security from the monarchy in exchange for not accepting lucrative media and publishing opportunities. —Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 14 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing monarchy

• constitutional monarchy

Kids Definition

monarchy

noun

mon·​ar·​chy ˈmän-ər-kē 

plural monarchies

1

: total rule by one person

2

: a nation or country ruled by a monarch

3

: a form of government having a chief of state who inherits the position, rules for life, and holds powers varying from very limited to total