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

William and Kate Three hundred million people looked on as Britain's future king and queen wed on April 29, 2011, at Westminster Abbey in London, defining a new era for the monarchy. — Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 3 July 2026

Qatar, a geographically small country jutting off the Arabian Peninsula into the Persian Gulf, is ruled by a hereditary monarchy and is one of the wealthiest producers of oil and natural gas on the planet. — Joseph Konig, PEOPLE, 1 July 2026

According to Us Weekly, the king found Andrew to be a serious threat to the monarchy. — Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 1 July 2026

As Egypt moved from monarchy to revolution and the dream of Arab unity captured the attention of millions, her voice became a source of comfort, pride, and collective identity throughout the region. — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 30 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