majesty
noun
regal, lofty, or stately dignity; imposing character; grandeur.
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majesty
American
[maj-uh-stee]
/ ˈmædʒ ə sti /
noun
plural
majesties-
regal, lofty, or stately dignity; imposing character; grandeur.
majesty of bearing; the majesty of Chartres.
-
supreme greatness or authority; sovereignty.
All paid tribute to the majesty of Rome.
-
(usually initial capital letter) a title used when speaking of or to a sovereign (usually preceded by his, her, oryour ).
His Majesty's Navy; Will your Majesty hear our petitions?
-
a royal personage, or royal personages collectively.
The royal wedding was attended by the majesties of Europe.
-
Christ in Majesty, a representation of Christ as ruler of the universe.
majesty
1
British
/ ˈmædʒɪstɪ /
noun
-
great dignity of bearing; loftiness; grandeur
-
supreme power or authority
-
an archaic word for royalty
Majesty
2
British
/ ˈmædʒɪstɪ /
noun
Etymology
Origin of majesty
1250–1300; Middle English majeste < Middle French < Latin majestāt- (stem of majestās ) dignity, grandeur, equivalent to majes- (akin to majus < *mag-yos, neuter comparative of magnus large; cf. major) + -tāt- -ty 2
Explanation
Majesty describes a quality that takes your breath away, it's so impressive. The Grand Canyon has it, and so does a British monarch (supposedly). The word majesty brings to mind a luxurious castle, which is appropriate because it is also used to address or refer to a king or queen. The Latin root word is maiestatem, which means "greatness, dignity, or excellence," and people first used the noun majesty to talk about God. It was England's King Henry VIII who decided that majesty would be the official way to address a British monarch.
Vocabulary lists containing majesty
Words from the 4th of July Songbook
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Quartering Act (1765)
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The Skin I'm In
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In its crumbled, ancient majesty, the past is quite visible.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 13, 2026
"To be able to look at these things and appreciate the beauty," James says, "the majesty and the scale of it - it's just amazing."
From BBC • Feb. 28, 2026
Personally, the first time a generative A.I. tool made me feel the magic and majesty of technology was when I tried Claude Code.
From Slate • Feb. 10, 2026
When finished, it will secure his reputation and bring him glory and riches, “the joy of lordliness, the majesty of the peaceful mind in the well-fed body.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 2, 2026
Yet by a sense other than sight Pippin perceived that Gandalf had the greater power and the deeper wisdom, and a majesty that was veiled.
From "The Return of the King" by J.R.R. Tolkien
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
