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

At the same time, McCartney had entered a school essay contest on the monarchy, winning in his category. — Monica Coviello, Vanity Fair, 20 Oct. 2026

Prince William is entirely focused on his family and the long-term survival of the monarchy, but that's not to say that things can't change in the future. — Stephanie Nolasco , Ashley Papa, FOXNews.com, 19 Oct. 2026

In contrast to other Gulf monarchies, especially Saudi Arabia, Qatar sees no threat in the Muslim Brotherhood, the political movement that spawned Hamas. — Eric Cortellessa, Time, 18 Oct. 2026

But Peter O’Toole plays your adviser and has these wonderful speeches about the importance of the monarchy and the spirit of the country. — Michael Schulman, New Yorker, 18 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing monarchy

• absolute 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