monarch

noun

mon·​arch ˈmä-nərk How to pronounce monarch (audio)
-ˌnärk
1
: a person who reigns over a kingdom or empire: such as
a
: a sovereign ruler
b
: a constitutional (see constitutional entry 1 sense 3) king or queen
2
: one that holds preeminent position or power
cotton, monarch of the textile worldWall Street Journal
3
monarchal adjective
or monarchial

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 on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
However, the long-reigning monarch never wore the Greville tiara in public, likely due to its significant connection to her late mother. Meredith Kile, People.com, 4 July 2025 The revolutionary focus was, and remains today, on the rights of the individual — not the state, not the monarch, not a corporate entity, not a particular economic or social class, and certainly not the military. Arthur I. Cyr, Chicago Tribune, 2 July 2025 Advertisement This decision to ground authority in reason, science, and secular humanism was profound at a time when European monarchs claimed that God had appointed them to the throne. Time, 1 July 2025 While the monarch cannot sell these properties, they are professionally managed, and the revenue supports the official functions of the royal family. Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for monarch

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of monarch was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Monarch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/monarch. Accessed 10 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

monarch

noun
mon·​arch ˈmän-ərk How to pronounce monarch (audio)
-ˌärk
1
: a person who reigns over a kingdom or empire: as
a
: a ruler who has total power
absolute monarch
b
: someone who acts primarily as chief of state and who has only limited powers
constitutional monarch
2
: someone or something like a monarch
the oak is the monarch of the forest
3
monarchal adjective
or monarchial

More from Merriam-Webster on monarch

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