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Charles

[chahrlz; for 2 also French sharl]
noun
  1. Prince of Edinburgh and of Wales, born 1948, heir apparent to the throne of Great Britain (son of Elizabeth II).
  2. Jacques A·le·xan·dre Cé·sar [ah-lek-sahn-druh sey-zahr] /ɑ lɛk sɑ̃ drə seɪˈzɑr/, 1746–1823, French physicist and inventor.
  3. RayRay Charles Robinson, 1930–2004, U.S. blues singer and pianist.
  4. Cape, a cape in E Virginia, N of the entrance to the Chesapeake Bay.
  5. a river in E Massachusetts, flowing between Boston and Cambridge into the Atlantic. 47 miles (75 km) long.
  6. a male given name: from a Germanic word meaning “man.”
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Charles I

[chahrlz; French sharl]
noun
  1. Charlemagne.
  2. the Bald, a.d. 823–877, king of France 840–877; as Charles II, emperor of the Holy Roman Empire 875–877.
  3. 1500–58, king of Spain 1516–56; as Charles V, emperor of the Holy Roman Empire 1519–56.
  4. 1600–49, king of Great Britain 1625–49 (son of James I).
  5. 1887–1922, emperor of Austria 1916–18; as Charles IV, king of Hungary 1916–18.
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Charles II

noun
  1. Charles I(def 2).
  2. Charles the Fat, a.d. 809–888, king of France 884–887; as Charles III, emperor of the Holy Roman Empire 881–887.
  3. 1630–85, king of Great Britain 1660–85 (son of Charles I of England).
  4. 1661–1700, king of Spain 1665–1700.
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Charles III

noun
  1. Charles II(def 2).
  2. Charles the Simple, a.d. 879–929, king of France 898–923.
  3. Charles VI(def 2).
  4. 1716–1788, king of Spain 1759–88; as Charles IV, king of Naples 1734–59.
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Charles IV

noun
  1. Charles the Fair, 1294–1328, king of France 1322–28.
  2. Charles of Luxembourg, 1316–78, king of Germany 1347–78 and Bohemia 1346–78; emperor of the Holy Roman Empire 1355–78.
  3. Charles I(def 5).
  4. Charles III(def 4).
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Charles V

noun
  1. Charles the Wise, 1337–81, king of France 1364–80.
  2. Charles I(def 3).
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Charles VI

noun
  1. Charles the MadorCharles the Well-beloved, 1368–1422, king of France 1380–1422.
  2. 1685–1740, emperor of the Holy Roman Empire 1711–40; as Charles III, king of Hungary 1711–40.
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Charles VII

noun
  1. Charles the Victorious, 1403–61, king of France 1422–61 (son of Charles VI).
  2. Charles Albert, 1697–1745, elector of Bavaria 1726–45; emperor of the Holy Roman Empire 1742–45.
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Charles VIII

noun
  1. 1470–98, king of France 1483–98 (son of Louis XI).
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Charles IX

noun
  1. 1550–74, king of France 1560–74.
  2. 1550–1611, king of Sweden 1604–11 (son of Gustavus I).
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Charles X

noun
  1. Charles Gustavus, 1622–60, king of Sweden 1654–60.
  2. 1757–1836, king of France 1824–30.
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Charles XI

noun
  1. 1655–97, king of Sweden 1660–97 (son of Charles X).
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Charles XII

noun
  1. 1682–1718, king of Sweden 1697–1718.
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Charles XIV

noun
  1. Bernadotte, Jean Baptiste Jules.
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Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for charles

Contemporary Examples

Historical Examples

  • Charles had said as he fingered his throat, which was patched with black and blue.

  • "That's what your romantic boy out of a book has done," said Charles Merchant.

  • But Charles Merchant was only interested in what the fellow had said and done when he talked with her.

  • Charles Merchant, the son of rich John Merchant, was behind the wheel.

  • I send now a message to our cousin Charles which his whole kingdom may read.

    The White Company

    Arthur Conan Doyle

British Dictionary definitions for charles

Charles

noun
  1. Prince of Wales. born 1948, son of Elizabeth II; heir apparent to the throne of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. He married (1981) Lady Diana Spencer; they separated in 1992 and were divorced in 1996; their son, Prince William of Wales, was born in 1982 and their second son, Prince Henry, in 1984; married (2005) Camilla Parker Bowles
  2. Ray real name Ray Charles Robinson. 1930–2004, US singer, pianist, and songwriter, whose work spans jazz, blues, gospel, pop, and country music
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Charles IV

noun
  1. known as Charles the Fair . 1294–1328, king of France (1322–28): brother of Isabella of France, with whom he intrigued against her husband, Edward II of England
  2. 1316–78, king of Bohemia (1346–78) and Holy Roman Emperor (1355–78)
  3. 1748–1819, king of Spain (1788–1808), whose reign saw the domination of Spain by Napoleonic France: abdicated
  4. title as king of Hungary of Charles ISee Charles I
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Charles IX

noun
  1. 1550–74, king of France (1560–74), son of Catherine de' Medici and Henry II: his reign was marked by war between Huguenots and Catholics
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Charles VI

noun
  1. known as Charles the Mad or Charles the Well-Beloved. 1368–1422, king of France (1380–1422): defeated by Henry V of England at Agincourt (1415), he was forced by the Treaty of Troyes (1420) to recognize Henry as his successor
  2. 1685–1740, Holy Roman Emperor (1711–40). His claim to the Spanish throne (1700) led to the War of the Spanish Succession
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Charles VII

noun
  1. 1403–61, king of France (1422–61), son of Charles VI. He was excluded from the French throne by the Treaty of Troyes, but following Joan of Arc's victory over the English at Orléans (1429), was crowned
  2. 1697–1745, Holy Roman Emperor (1742–45) during the War of the Austrian Succession
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Charles X

noun
  1. title of Charles Gustavus . 1622–60, king of Sweden, who warred with Poland and Denmark in an attempt to create a unified Baltic state
  2. 1757–1836, king of France (1824–30): his attempt to restore absolutism led to his enforced exile
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Charles XI

noun
  1. 1655–97, king of Sweden (1660–97), who established an absolute monarchy and defeated Denmark (1678)
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Charles XII

noun
  1. 1682–1718, king of Sweden (1697–1718), who inflicted defeats on Denmark, Russia, and Poland during the Great Northern War (1700–21)
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Charles XIV

noun
  1. the title as king of Sweden and Norway of Jean Baptiste Jules BernadotteSee Bernadotte
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Charles I

noun
  1. title as Holy Roman Emperor of CharlemagneSee Charlemagne
  2. title as king of France of Charles II (Holy Roman Emperor)See Charles II
  3. title as king of Spain of Charles V (Holy Roman Emperor)See Charles V (def. 2)
  4. title of Charles Stuart 1600–49, king of England, Scotland, and Ireland (1625–49); son of James I. He ruled for 11 years (1629–40) without parliament, advised by his minister Strafford, until rebellion broke out in Scotland. Conflict with the Long Parliament led to the Civil War and after his defeat at Naseby (1645) he sought refuge with the Scots (1646). He was handed over to the English army under Cromwell (1647) and executed
  5. 1887–1922, emperor of Austria, and, as Charles IV, king of Hungary (1916–18). The last ruler of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy, he was forced to abdicate at the end of World War I
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Charles II

noun
  1. known as Charles the Bald. 823–877 ad, Holy Roman Emperor (875–877) and, as Charles I, king of France (843–877)
  2. the title as king of France of Charles III (Holy Roman Emperor)See Charles III (def. 1)
  3. 1630–85, king of England, Scotland, and Ireland (1660–85) following the Restoration (1660); son of Charles I. He did much to promote commerce, science, and the Navy, but his Roman Catholic sympathies caused widespread distrust
  4. 1661–1700, the last Hapsburg king of Spain: his reign saw the end of Spanish power in Europe
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Charles III

noun
  1. known as Charles the Fat . 839–888 ad, Holy Roman Emperor (881–887) and, as Charles II, king of France (884–887). He briefly reunited the empire of Charlemagne
  2. 1716–88, king of Spain (1759–88), who curbed the power of the Church and tried to modernize his country
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Charles V

noun
  1. known as Charles the Wise . 1337–80, king of France (1364–80) during the Hundred Years' War
  2. 1500–58, Holy Roman Emperor (1519–56), king of Burgundy and the Netherlands (1506–55), and, as Charles I, king of Spain (1516–56): his reign saw the empire threatened by Francis I of France, the Turks, and the spread of Protestantism; abdicated
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Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for charles

Charles

masc. proper name, from French Charles, from Medieval Latin Carolus, from Middle High German Karl, literally "man, husband" (see carl).

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
charles in Science

Charles

[chärlz]
  1. French physicist and inventor who formulated Charles's law in 1787. In 1783 he became the first person to use hydrogen in balloons for flight.
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The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.