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• crown
  crown

  noun

  any of various types of headgear worn by a monarch as a symbol of sovereignty, often made of precious metal and ornamented with valuable gems.
• Crown
  Crown

  noun

  the sovereignty or realm of a monarch

crown

American  

[kraun] / kraʊn /

noun

• crowns
  plural

1. any of various types of headgear worn by a monarch as a symbol of sovereignty, often made of precious metal and ornamented with valuable gems.

2. a similar ornamental headgear worn by a person designated king or queen in a pageant, contest, etc.

3. an ornamental wreath or circlet for the head, conferred by the ancients as a mark of victory, athletic or military distinction, etc.

4. the distinction that comes from a great achievement.

5. the power or dominion of a sovereign.

6. (often initial capital letter) the sovereign as head of the state, or the supreme governing power of a state under a monarchical government.

7. any crownlike emblem or design, as in a heraldic crest.

8. the top or highest part of anything, as of a hat or a mountain.

9. the top of the head.

   Jack fell down and broke his crown.

10. Dentistry.

    1. the part of a tooth that is covered by enamel.

    2. an artificial substitute, as of gold or porcelain, for the crown of a tooth.

11. the highest point of any construction of convex section or outline, as an arch, vault, deck, or road.

12. the highest or most nearly perfect state of anything.

13. an exalting or chief attribute.

14. the acme or supreme source of honor, excellence, beauty, etc.

15. something having the form of a crown, as the corona of a flower.

16. Botany.

    1. the leaves and living branches of a tree.

    2. the point at which the root of a seed plant joins the stem.

    3. a circle of appendages on the throat of the corolla; corona.

17. the crest, as of a bird.

18. Architecture.

    1. a termination of a tower consisting of a lanternlike steeple supported entirely by a number of flying buttresses.

    2. any ornamental termination of a tower or turret.

19. Also called button. Horology. a knurled knob for winding a watch.

20. any of various coins bearing the figure of a crown or crowned head.

21. a former silver coin of the United Kingdom, equal to five shillings: retained in circulation equal to 25 new pence after decimalization in 1971.

22. the monetary unit of Denmark, Iceland, Norway, or Sweden: a krona or krone.

23. 1. the koruna of the former Czechoslovakia.

    2. the koruna of the Czech Republic.

24. a crimped metal bottle cap.

25. crown glass.

26. Cooking. crown roast.

27. Also called bezel, top. Jewelry. the part of a cut gem above the girdle.

28. a drill bit consisting of a metal matrix holding diamond chips.

29. Also called head. Nautical. the part of an anchor at which the arms join the shank.

30. Machinery.

    1. a slight convexity given to a pulley supporting a flat belt in order to center the belt.

    2. a slight convexity given to the outer faces of the teeth of two gears so that they mesh toward their centers rather than at the ends.

31. a size of printing paper, 15 × 20 inches (38 × 51 centimeters).

32. Nautical, Machinery. swallow.

33. Knots. a knot made by interweaving the strands at the end of a rope, often made as the beginning of a back splice or as the first stage in tying a more elaborate knot.

34. a crownpiece.

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verb (used with object)

• crowns,
  present (3rd person singular)
• crowned,
  past participle,  past
• crowning
  present participle

1. to invest with a regal crown, or with regal dignity and power.

2. to place a crown or garland upon the head of.

3. to honor or reward; invest with honor, dignity, etc.

4. to be at the top or highest part of.

5. to complete worthily; bring to a successful or triumphant conclusion.

   The award crowned his career.

6. Informal. to hit on the top of the head.

   She crowned her brother with a picture book.

7. to give to (a construction) an upper surface of convex section or outline.

8. to cap (a tooth) with a false crown.

9. Checkers. to change (a checker) into a king after having safely reached the last row.

10. Knots. to form a crown on (the end of a rope).

verb (used without object)

• crowns,
  present (3rd person singular)
• crowned,
  past participle,  past
• crowning
  present participle

1. Medicine/Medical. (of a baby in childbirth) to reach a stage in delivery where the largest diameter of the fetal head is emerging from the pelvic outlet.

Crown ¹ British  

/ kraʊn /

noun

1. the sovereignty or realm of a monarch

2. 1. the government of a constitutional monarchy

   2. ( as modifier )

      Crown property

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crown ² British  

/ kraʊn /

noun

1. an ornamental headdress denoting sovereignty, usually made of gold embedded with precious stones

2. a wreath or garland for the head, awarded as a sign of victory, success, honour, etc

3. (sometimes capital) monarchy or kingship

4. an award, distinction, or title, given as an honour to reward merit, victory, etc

5. anything resembling or symbolizing a crown, such as a sergeant major's badge or a heraldic bearing

6. 1. history a coin worth 25 pence (five shillings)

   2. any of several continental coins, such as the krona or krone, with a name meaning crown

7. the top or summit of something, esp of a rounded object

   crown of a hill

   crown of the head

8. the centre part of a road, esp when it is cambered

9. botany

   1. the leaves and upper branches of a tree

   2. the junction of root and stem, usually at the level of the ground

   3. another name for corona

10. zoology

    1. the cup and arms of a crinoid, as distinct from the stem

    2. the crest of a bird

11. the outstanding quality, achievement, state, etc

    the crown of his achievements

12. 1. the enamel-covered part of a tooth above the gum

    2. a substitute crown, usually of gold, porcelain, or acrylic resin, fitted over a decayed or broken tooth

13. the part of a cut gem above the girdle

14. horology a knurled knob for winding a watch

15. the part of an anchor where the arms are joined to the shank

16. the highest part of an arch or vault

17. a standard size of printing paper, 15 by 20 inches

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verb

1. to put a crown on the head of, symbolically vesting with royal title, powers, etc

2. to place a crown, wreath, garland, etc, on the head of

3. to place something on or over the head or top of

   he crowned the pie with cream

4. to confer a title, dignity, or reward upon

   he crowned her best cook

5. to form the summit or topmost part of

   the steeple crowned the tower

6. to cap or put the finishing touch to a series of events

   to crown it all it rained, too

7. draughts to promote (a draught) to a king by placing another draught on top of it, as after reaching the end of the board

8. to attach a crown to (a tooth)

9. slang to hit over the head

crown Cultural  

1. The part of a tooth above the gum, covered with enamel.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• recrown
  verb (used with object)
• crownless
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• crowns
  plural

Participles

• crowning
  present
• crowned
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• crown
  simple
• crowns
  simple
• have crowned
  perfect
• has crowned
  perfect
• am crowning
  progressive
• are crowning
  progressive
• is crowning
  progressive
• have been crowning
  perfect progressive
• has been crowning
  perfect progressive

Past

• crowned
  simple
• had crowned
  perfect
• was crowning
  progressive
• were crowning
  progressive
• had been crowning
  perfect progressive

Future

• will crown
  simple
• will have crowned
  perfect
• will be crowning
  progressive
• will have been crowning
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of crown

First recorded in 1125–75; Middle English coroune, cr(o)une, from Anglo-French coroune, from Latin corōna “wreath”; see corona

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Explanation

A crown is a fancy, round ornament worn on the heads of kings and queens. To crown someone is to declare them a monarch or a champion. A crown is also a boring old top of something, like a tooth. Historically, a crown represented the country ruled by the monarch who wore it. In some cases, the person wearing a crown wasn't the king, but the head of a church, as most modern-day Catholic popes have done during certain ceremonies. Other kinds of crowns are the top of a hat or the top part of your head, and also the visible part of a tooth — or the artificial replacement made by a dentist.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

crown Crown crowns crowned crowning

Natalie Portman’s Padme appears to be wearing her makeup and crown from “Black Swan.”

From Salon ● Nov. 3, 2026

The discovery is especially important for understanding the origins of crown Hominoidea, the evolutionary group that includes the last common ancestor of all living apes and its descendants.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 1, 2026

Management must show its cost-cutting plan is credible and that the company can generate free cash to pay down debt without having to sell its crown jewels.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2026

Essayli shot back, “Hey Fraud King,” with a crown emoji.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 29, 2026

Her night-black hair was twisted back in two braids that she had pinned up around her head to look like a crown.

From "Root Magic" by Eden Royce

But the MPs have recommended that in future the default position for such Crown Estate properties should be that such sub-letting should be banned, unless there was a specific exemption.

From BBC ● Nov. 6, 2026

There was criticism too for the Crown Estate concentrating too much of its urban property portfolio in London and the south east of England, with MPs calling for more of a regional spread.

From BBC ● Nov. 6, 2026

That meant the Crown Estate was owed £1.5m, which King Charles paid on his brother's behalf.

From BBC ● Nov. 6, 2026

His trial is underway at Southwark Crown Court in the United Kingdom.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 5, 2026

She spotted the Crown Prince, dancing and laughing with some blond idiot.

From "Throne of Glass" by Sarah J. Maas

But Arsenal have set down an early marker as they chase back-to-back Premier League crowns.

From BBC ● Sep. 6, 2026

However, same-day 3D-printed crowns currently available are generally made from ceramic resins, which do not have the strength of zirconia.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 23, 2026

A cypress, representing the Tree of Life, crowns the central portal.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

She was awarded back-to-back Ballon d'Or crowns in 2021 and 2022 and is favourite to win it again this year.

From BBC ● Aug. 9, 2026

“The only dragons that I know are yours, and magic swords are even scarcer. I will gladly bring you rings and crowns and chests of gold if that is your desire.”

From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin

Kane scored 73 goals in 65 matches for England and Bayern in 2025-26 and was crowned the world's best male player at the Ballon d'Or ceremony last month.

From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2026

Becerra’s campaign leaned into his milquetoast persona and crowned him Tío Xavier — Uncle Xavier — to market him as a non-threatening moderate who happened to be Latino.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 4, 2026

Magazine crowned the stadium-packing baseball circus this year’s sports innovators for turning the summer game into a wholesome blend of athleticism and absurdity.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 27, 2026

The BBC spoke to four people who have been part of the city's evolution and believe it has a chance of being crowned the UK City of Culture for 2029.

From BBC ● Oct. 26, 2026

Southeast celebrated kudzu festivals and crowned kudzu queens.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann

It is likely to be the scene of Antonelli's crowning as the sport's youngest world champion.

From BBC ● Oct. 25, 2026

The crowning glory of the collection is arguably the first-ever Flash Gordon comic strip.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 8, 2026

Keely Hodgkinson has been here before - and it eventually culminated in her crowning moment.

From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026

Putting him on the almighty dollar would be the crowning achievement of these efforts.

From Salon ● Jul. 22, 2026

I don’t stay for the crowning of the winner.

From "Dumplin'" by Julie Murphy

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