empress

[ em-pris ]

/ ˈɛm prɪs /

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noun

a female ruler of an empire.

the consort of an emperor.

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Origin of empress

1125–75; Middle English emperice, emperesse<Anglo-French; Old French emperesse, empereriz<Latin imperātrīcem, accusative of imperātrix, feminine of imperātor.See emperor, -trix

usage note for empress

See -ess.

Words nearby empress

Emporia, emporium, empoverish, empower, empowerment, empress, empressement, emprise, emprosthotonos, Empson, empt

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use empress in a sentence

Artists might have been defeated by the line-up of the twelve, but they did use individual empresses to open a window onto the corruption at the very heart of the empire.
There’s No Definitive List of Roman Empresses. Their Individual Stories Still Matter|Mary Beard|October 12, 2021|Time
It’s no surprise that Japan’s pacifist Emperor Naruhito and his wife, Masako, the empress, wanted to skip the Opening Ceremonies.
A Notoriously Hateful Japanese Composer’s Music Just Opened the Tokyo Olympics|Jake Adelstein, Chihiro Kai|July 23, 2021|The Daily Beast
To them, Her Imperial Majesty and Queen Empress was behaving in a manner unbecoming.
Queen Victoria’s Secret Scottish Sex Castle|Clive Irving|August 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
If you want Cinderella to become the empress of the world...
The March Madness Teams to Cheer If Yours Got Bounced|Ben Teitelbaum|March 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST

The Empress added a special clause for land-owning farmers, who were allowed to distill up to three hundred liters.
What to Drink When it’s Cold? The Glory of Austrian Schnaps|Jordan Salcito|January 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He quickly made a name for himself among the French aristocracy; among his patrons was Empress Eugénie, wife of Napoleon III.
Cartier Retrospective Looks Back at 100 Years of Creating Bling for the Stars|Chantel Tattoli|December 10, 2013|DAILY BEAST
With Empress of Fashion: A Life of Diana Vreeland, Stuart does more than celebrate and bear witness.
Understanding Diana Vreeland, ‘Empress of Fashion’|Robin Givhan|November 28, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Every word that now fell from the agitated Empress was balm to the affrighted nerves of her daughter.
The Pastor's Fire-side Vol. 3 of 4|Jane Porter
The first rail road opened in Brazil, the emperor and empress being present at the inauguration.
The Every Day Book of History and Chronology|Joel Munsell
Not suspecting her motive, he represented the hazard of putting so great an affront on the favourite of the Empress.
The Pastor's Fire-side Vol. 3 of 4|Jane Porter
Louis was not less astonished at this charge, than the Empress had been at the communication which aroused it.
The Pastor's Fire-side Vol. 3 of 4|Jane Porter
During this defence, the Empress frequently shook her head; and when it was finished, she rose from her chair.
The Pastor's Fire-side Vol. 3 of 4|Jane Porter

British Dictionary definitions for empress

empress

/ (ˈɛmprɪs) /

noun

the wife or widow of an emperor

a woman who holds the rank of emperor in her own right

a woman of great power and influence

Word Origin for empress

C12: from Old French empereriz, from Latin imperātrix feminine of imperātor emperor

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

empress

Origin of empress

usage note for empress

Words nearby empress

Words related to empress

How to use empress in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for empress

Word Origin for empress