monarch

mon·arch

noun \ˈmä-nərk, -ˌnärk\

Definition of MONARCH

1

: a person who reigns over a kingdom or empire: as a : a sovereign ruler b : a constitutional king or queen

2

: one that holds preeminent position or power

3

: monarch butterfly

— mo·nar·chal \mə-ˈnär-kəl, mä-\ or mo·nar·chi·al \-kē-əl\ adjective

Examples of MONARCH

1. a new history of French monarchs
2. <the ruling monarch of Britain at that time was Queen Elizabeth I>

Origin of MONARCH

Late Latin monarcha, from Greek monarchos, from mon- + -archos -arch

First Known Use: 15th century

Related to MONARCH

Synonyms: autocrat, potentate, ruler, sovereign (also sovran)

Related Words: coruler; Caesar, czar (also tsar or tzar), emir (or amir also ameer), emperor, empress, kaiser, khan, khedive, king, lord, mikado, mogul, prince, queen, satrap, shah, sultan, suzerain; authoritarian, Big Brother, despot, dictator, führer (or fuehrer), monocrat, overlord, paramount, tyrant

Near Antonyms: half-pint, lightweight, small-timer; inferior, subordinate, underling; nobody, nothing, zero

see all synonyms and antonyms

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Other Government and Politics Terms

agent provocateur, agitprop, autarky, cabal, egalitarianism, federalism, hegemony, plenipotentiary, popular sovereignty, socialism