monarch

noun mon·arch \ ˈmä-nərk , -ˌnärk \

Updated on: 25 May 2018

Definition of monarch

1 : a person who reigns over a kingdom or empire: such as

a : a sovereign ruler

b : a constitutional (see ¹constitutional 3) king or queen

2 : one that holds preeminent position or power

cotton, monarch of the textile world
—Wall Street Journal

3 : monarch butterfly

—

monarchal

play \mə-ˈnär-kəl, mä-\ or monarchial play \-kē-əl\ adjective

See monarch defined for English-language learners

See monarch defined for kids

Examples of monarch in a Sentence

a new history of French monarchs
the ruling monarch of Britain at that time was Queen Elizabeth I

Recent Examples of monarch from the Web

This is different from an absolute monarch, like Saudi Arabia's king, who has supreme authority over his subjects.

— NBC News, "British anti-monarchy activists won't be cheering royal wedding," 17 May 2018
See the connections for yourself below: Queen Charlotte, the monarch for whom the North Carolina city is named, was born on the same day as the royal wedding, May 19, in 1744 in Mirow, Germany.

— meghan overdeep, Southern Living, "WATCH: The City of Charlotte Has an Uncanny Number of Ties to the Royal Wedding," 16 May 2018
Nearly 700 years after the order's founding, the monarch recognizes men and women from a variety of backgrounds who have devoted their lives to public service, appointing them into the order.

— joanna pocock, latimes.com, "Watching the royal wedding on the telly? Here's what you need to know about St. George's Chapel and Windsor Castle," 13 May 2018
Neither the government nor the monarch could dismiss him.

— The Economist, "Michael Martin (Lord Martin of Springburn) died on April 29th," 3 May 2018
That’s because Mswati III of Swaziland, Africa’s last absolute monarch, has declared that his nation’s official name is now the Kingdom of eSwatini.

— jason daley, Smithsonian, "Why Swaziland Is Now the Kingdom of eSwatini," 26 Apr. 2018
Queen Rania of Jordan is one of the world’s most influential figures, who uses her role as a monarch to promote arts and education initiatives on a global scale.

— edward barsamian, Vogue, "Queen Rania of Jordan Wears Spring’s Trickiest Skirt Length," 16 Apr. 2018
Ferrell, who reigned as the celebrity monarch of the Krewe of Bacchus' 2012 parade, was reportedly a passenger in a black Lincoln SUV that was sideswiped by a Toyota car.

— mike scott, NOLA.com, "Will Ferrell hospitalized after vehicle rollover: reports," 13 Apr. 2018
As the reigning monarch, Her Majesty will be given a state funeral (not a public one).

— alex warner, Marie Claire, "This Is Exactly What Will Happen When Queen Elizabeth II Dies," 11 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'monarch.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of monarch

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 15th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

monarch Synonyms

Synonyms

baron, captain, czar (also tsar), king, lion, lord, magnate, mogul, prince, tycoon;

Near Antonyms

lightweight, small-timer;

inferior, subordinate, underling;

nobody, nothing, zero;

celebrity, personality, star, superstar;

deity, demigod, god;

Other Government and Politics Terms

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

MONARCH Defined for English Language Learners

monarch

noun

Definition of monarch for English Language Learners

: a person (such as a king or queen) who rules a kingdom or empire

MONARCH Defined for Kids

monarch

noun mon·arch \ ˈmä-nərk , -ˌnärk \

Definition of monarch for Students

1 : a person who reigns over a kingdom or an empire

2 : monarch butterfly

Learn More about monarch

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for monarch Spanish Central: Translation of monarch Nglish: Translation of monarch for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of monarch for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about monarch

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up monarch? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show

monarch

Definition of monarch

monarchal

Examples of monarch in a Sentence

Recent Examples of monarch from the Web

Origin and Etymology of monarch

monarch Synonyms

Synonyms

Near Antonyms

Related Words

Other Government and Politics Terms

MONARCH Defined for English Language Learners

monarch

Definition of monarch for English Language Learners

MONARCH Defined for Kids

monarch

Definition of monarch for Students

Learn More about monarch

Seen and Heard

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games

'Deprived' vs. 'Depraved'

May 2018 Words of the Day Quiz

12 Words from All Over the Map

Trending: Melania Trump Undergoes 'Embolization'

Ghost Word