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dignitary

American  
[dig-ni-ter-ee] / ˈdɪg nɪˌtɛr i /

noun

plural

dignitaries

  1. a person who holds a high rank or office, as in the government or church.

dignitary British  
/ ˈdɪɡnɪtərɪ, -trɪ /

noun

  1. a person of high official position or rank, esp in government or the church

"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

Other Word Forms

  • dignitarial adjective

Etymology

Origin of dignitary

First recorded in 1665–75; dignit(y) + -ary

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.

Zach Witkoff also met Munir and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in April of last year, during a visit where he was feted like a visiting dignitary, with a fireworks display in his honor.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 29, 2026

"Almost certainly you've got a major local dignitary making themselves at home here," he added.

From BBC • Jan. 11, 2026

Military Academy’s ensemble in West Point, N.Y., perform at inaugurations and foreign dignitary visits.

From New York Times • May 27, 2024

The Rex Organization, founded in the 19th century, rolls every Fat Tuesday, with the role of Rex, King of Carnival, filled each year by a different local dignitary.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 9, 2024

The portrait no longer travels, but when it toured the United States in the 1960s, it was received like a visiting dignitary.

From "The Mona Lisa Vanishes" by Nicholas Day

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.