majesty
Americannoun
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majesties
plural
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regal, lofty, or stately dignity; imposing character; grandeur.
majesty of bearing; the majesty of Chartres.
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supreme greatness or authority; sovereignty.
All paid tribute to the majesty of Rome.
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(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?
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a royal personage, or royal personages collectively.
The royal wedding was attended by the majesties of Europe.
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Christ in Majesty, a representation of Christ as ruler of the universe.
noun
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great dignity of bearing; loftiness; grandeur
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supreme power or authority
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an archaic word for royalty
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
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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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:
His approach was unique; he took the grandeur and majesty of the Duke Ellington Orchestra sax section, updated that sound, and infused it with bluesy grit and a gruff, avant-garde crankiness.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 7, 2026
That was an era during which Springsteen was fond of declaring “the majesty, the mystery, the ministry — of rock ‘n’ roll!”
From Salon ● May 28, 2026
Yet his compulsion to embrace the world’s majesty in the manner of an illustrated weekly or a Victorian diorama conflicted with the project of capturing the poetry of untamed America.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 1, 2026
She finds comfort in the last place a self-described “city mouse” expects to find it — in the wild majesty of Montana, which her husband loved so well.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 21, 2026
Mornings, he would stand midthigh in the surf and feel he understood its power, that he understood greatness — that he was neither fooled by its easy majesty nor afraid of its violence.
From "Typical American" by Gish Jen
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The palace spokesperson told reporters the king's visit, from October 27 to November 4, would not "shy away from the 'darkest days of our past' as His Majesty has described them".
From Barron's ● Oct. 2, 2026
"His Majesty leaves behind a Prince as his heir, whose identity will be formally revealed at the appropriate time, in accordance with the traditions and customs of Tooro Kingdom," he explained.
From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2026
The Sussexes needed a “brand refresh,” says Ingrid Seward, editor in chief of Majesty Magazine, noting that the couple’s efforts to build a media empire in Hollywood have run out of steam.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026
One of the messages had said "we have suspended our normal programmes until further notice as a mark of respect following the passing of His Majesty King Charles III".
From Barron's ● Aug. 10, 2026
“What I am about to tell you, Your Majesty, will surprise you.”
From "The Inquisitor's Tale" by Adam Gidwitz
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And then there are places whose majesties remain largely unknown to the masses — until they end up on TikTok.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 20, 2023
"We are delighted too that its first use will be to guide their majesties into Westminster Abbey at the Coronation Service."
From Reuters ● Apr. 19, 2023
When they arrive in the city, their majesties will be met at the Great West Doors of the cathedral by the Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell and the Dean of York Dominic Barrington.
From BBC ● Apr. 6, 2023
The floral-themed invite for the event, which is due to take place at London’s Westminster Abbey on May 6, promotes “the coronation of their majesties King Charles III & Queen Camilla.”
From Washington Post ● Apr. 5, 2023
It shows the silhouette of a girl at sunset, running up a steep mountain path, and it’s all clouds parting and God rays shining down and purple mountain majesties.
From "A Heart in a Body in the World" by Deb Caletti
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.