monarch

[mon-erk, -ahrk]

noun

1. a hereditary sovereign, as a king, queen, or emperor.

2. a sole and absolute ruler of a state or nation.

3. a person or thing that holds a dominant position.

   a monarch of international shipping.

4. monarch butterfly.

monarch

/ ˈmɒnək, mɒˈnɑːkəl, mɒˈnɑːkɪəl /

noun

1. a sovereign head of state, esp a king, queen, or emperor, who rules usually by hereditary right

2. a supremely powerful or pre-eminent person or thing

3. Also called: milkweed. a large migratory butterfly, Danaus plexippus, that has orange-and-black wings and feeds on the milkweed plant: family Danaidae

Other Word Forms

• antimonarch adjective
• monarchical adjective
• monarchist noun
• monarchally adverb
• monarchistic adjective
• monarchism noun
• monarchically adverb
• monarchal adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of monarch¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Middle French monarche, monarch, from Late Latin monarcha, from Greek mónarchos “sole ruler, monarch”; mon-, -arch

Word History and Origins

Origin of monarch¹

C15: from Late Latin monarcha, from Greek; see _mono- , _-arch

Example Sentences

Typically, national museums came into being in the 18th and 19th centuries, created by both reigning monarchs and republican governments.

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"Never has it been more important for the world to make a concerted effort to protect and prioritise our planet, and to restore our relationship with it," the monarch said about the project.

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It was a savvy move, copied by monarchs and dictators across the world ever since.

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When it opened in 1918, George V was monarch and the country was in the final days of World War I.

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For the first time in Moroccan history, the monarch strengthened the role of the government by ceding executive power to the prime minister and parliament.

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Related Words

• emperor 
• king 
• queen 
• sovereign