monarch

noun

mon·arch | \ ˈmä-nərk

How to pronounce monarch (audio)

, -ˌnärk \

Definition of monarch

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 world — Wall Street Journal

3 : monarch butterfly

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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 Instead, the physiology of monarch butterflies prevents them from playing a major role in pollination. — Erica Fleishman, Scientific American, "Save the Butterflies, but Not to Save Our Food Supply," 31 Mar. 2021 The western monarch and other butterflies are on the brink of extinction. — Taylor Kate Brown, San Francisco Chronicle, "PG&E is changing how your electricity bill works - here's everything you need to know," 19 Mar. 2021 In the United Kingdom, the monarch is the head of state. — NBC News, "After Harry and Meghan's tell-all interview, royal family carries on," 9 Mar. 2021 As for the queen, the monarch has reportedly been in crisis meetings over how to address the interview. — Elizabeth Elkind, CBS News, "Buckingham Palace silent as royals plot response to "crisis" over Meghan and Harry's interview," 9 Mar. 2021 The British monarch is very unusual among royalty worldwide for having a constitutional role. — Matt Seaton, The New York Review of Books, "The Great Disenchantment: Harry, Meghan & the Monarchy," 9 Mar. 2021 That means more of Olivia Colman's performance as the British monarch is in the works. — Caroline Hallemann, Town & Country, "9 Predictions For The Crown Season Four," 11 Nov. 2020 To mark the Queen's 94th birthday, a small military ceremony will take place within the confines of Windsor Castle at the Quadrangle, where the monarch has been in lockdown with Prince Philip since March. — Selena Barrientos, Good Housekeeping, "How to Watch and Stream Trooping the Colour to Celebrate Queen Elizabeth II's Official Birthday," 12 June 2020 Not only is William feeling lonely after Harry's exit, but sources close to the royal family told the paper that the Sussexes' royal exit has also dramatically changed what the future looks like for William, who will someday be the monarch himself. — Kayleigh Roberts, Marie Claire, "Prince William Still Misses Prince Harry a Year After the Royal Exit," 22 Mar. 2021

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.

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Dictionary Entries near monarch

monarch butterfly

Statistics for monarch

Last Updated

9 Apr 2021

Cite this Entry

“Monarch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/monarch. Accessed 18 Apr. 2021.

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More Definitions for monarch

monarch

noun

English Language Learners Definition of monarch

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

See the full definition for monarch in the English Language Learners Dictionary

monarch

noun

mon·arch | \ ˈmä-nərk

, -ˌnärk \

Kids Definition of monarch

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

2 : monarch butterfly

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