throne
Americannoun
-
thrones
plural
-
the chair or seat occupied by a sovereign, bishop, or other exalted personage on ceremonial occasions, usually raised on a dais and covered with a canopy.
-
the office or dignity of a sovereign.
He came to the throne by succession.
-
the occupant of a throne; sovereign.
-
sovereign power or authority.
to address one's pleas to the throne.
-
an episcopal office or authority.
the diocesan throne.
-
thrones, an order of angels.
-
Facetious. a toilet.
verb (used with or without object)
noun
-
the ceremonial seat occupied by a monarch, bishop, etc on occasions of state
-
the power, duties, or rank ascribed to a royal person
-
a person holding royal rank
-
(plural; often capital) the third of the nine orders into which the angels are traditionally divided in medieval angelology
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of throne
1175–1225; Middle English < Latin thronus < Greek thrónos high seat; replacing Middle English trone < Old French < Latin, as above
Explanation
The oversized, bejeweled chair on which a king or queen sits is called a throne. Monarchs — kings and queens — sit on thrones on special ceremonial occasions, and so do religious figures such as bishops and popes. You can also describe the act of naming a new monarch this way: "Queen Elizabeth II of England was throned in 1952." The word throne has its root in the Greek thronos, "chair or elevated seat." In ancient Greek mythology, Zeus was said to sit on a special heavenly seat, the Dios thronous.
Vocabulary lists containing throne
"The Lotus Seed"
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
King Tut Day
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
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.
See Examples For:
The Norman Conquest has traditionally been viewed largely as a dynastic crisis that followed the death of Edward the Confessor, with competing claimants fighting for control of the English throne.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 11, 2026
“The Mad King” is staged in the round and brings viewers into the throne room at King’s Landing.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2026
It warned of a possible wave of arrivals on the occasion of Throne Day, which marks the anniversary of King Mohammed VI’s accession to the throne.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 9, 2026
The delegation viewed one of the early scenes which shows William, then Duke of Normandy, on his throne.
From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026
She’s fully asleep on her velvet throne, whiskers twitching occasionally.
From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller
The ceremony then culminated with Mullally being seated in two different thrones.
From Barron's ● Mar. 25, 2026
Warner Bros.’ sale has become the industry’s game of thrones.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 23, 2025
The objects, which include richly embroidered vestments and lavishly sculpted monstrances, Eucharist thrones and sanctuary lamps made of jewel-studded precious metals, are eye-catchingly high Baroque.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 4, 2025
Two thrones also used for props are up for sale.
From BBC ● Oct. 18, 2025
King Hizdahr had replaced the bench with two imposing thrones of gilded wood, their tall backs carved into the shape of dragons.
From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin
A hoarder of women, art, antiquities — and most of all, money — Getty also might have taken issue with Portia’s claim that mercy “becomes the throned monarch better than his crown.”
From New York Times ● Dec. 24, 2017
So Blatter is seeking to be throned for another four years as Fifa big cheese at the elections to be held in June.
From The Guardian ● Mar. 22, 2011
The spectacle of John L. Lewis on Organized Labor's pinnacle, throned on Coal and crowned with Steel, is not fantastic.
From Time Magazine Archive
Behind the desk, in the chair, Franz Rosenzweig was throned.
From Time Magazine Archive
A kingdom where kings are throned and dethroned daily.
From "Look Both Ways" by Jason Reynolds
Don Enrique, returning, told me of it in his room at night, of the Christian service in the mosque and the throning in the Alhambra.
From 1492 by Mary Johnston
These kings sought to crown that semi-barbarous occupation of North Italy during two centuries by throning themselves in Rome, and making the Pope their vassal.
From The Formation of Christendom, Volume VII by Thomas W. Allies
Those preparations check with speed, Nor let my throning rites proceed.
From The Rámáyan of Válmíki, translated into English verse by Ralph T. H. (Ralph Thomas Hotchkin) Griffith
On every side, where'er he came, He heard glad words, their theme the same, As in their joy the gathered folk Of Ráma and the throning spoke.
From The Rámáyan of Válmíki, translated into English verse by Ralph T. H. (Ralph Thomas Hotchkin) Griffith
The king and queen, my lady dear, Touching the throning, for my sake Some salutary counsel take.
From The Rámáyan of Válmíki, translated into English verse by Ralph T. H. (Ralph Thomas Hotchkin) Griffith
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.
