monarch

noun

mon·​arch ˈmä-nərk 

-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 1) king or queen

2

: one that holds preeminent position or power

Cotton, monarch of the textile world …

—Wall Street Journal

3

: monarch butterfly

monarchal

mə-ˈnär-kəl 

mä-

adjective

or monarchial

mə-ˈnär-kē-əl 

mä-

Synonyms of monarch

• ruler
• sovereign
• emperor

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

All doubled down on the idea that the monarch’s primary attribute should be a sense of duty — something Edward, in the popular imagination, lacked. —ABC News, 22 Feb. 2026

After Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest, the British monarch released a statement saying law enforcement has the royal family’s full and wholehearted support and co-operation. —Lorena O’Neil, Rolling Stone, 21 Feb. 2026

The overall result is a series of spaces that explore themes rooted in ecclesiastical pageantry, and the power that’s conveyed through the clothing and visual arts of a monarch or empire. —Laurie Brookins, Travel + Leisure, 21 Feb. 2026

Counsellors of State are certain royals who can be called on by the monarch to act on his behalf if the sovereign is temporarily unable to carry out official duties. —Lauren Said-Moorhouse, CNN Money, 20 Feb. 2026

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

Phrases Containing monarch

• monarch butterfly

Rhymes for monarch

• ballpark
• benchmark
• birthmark
• daymark
• earmark
• embark
• hallmark
• landmark
• postmark
• remark
• skylark
• tetrarch

Kids Definition

monarch

noun

mon·​arch ˈmän-ərk 

-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

: monarch butterfly

monarchal

mə-ˈnär-kəl 

mä-

adjective

or monarchial

-kē-əl