highness
noun
the quality or state of being high; loftiness.
highness
American
[hahy-nis]
/ ˈhaɪ nɪs /
noun
-
highnesses
plural
-
the quality or state of being high; loftiness.
-
(initial capital letter) a title of honor given to members of a royal family (usually preceded by His, Her, Your, etc.).
Highness
1
British
/ ˈhaɪnɪs /
noun
highness
2
British
/ ˈhaɪnɪs /
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of highness
before 900; Middle English heyenes, Old English hēanes. See high, -ness
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:
In the letter Charles makes clear that the couple's position is "akin to private citizens" and that they should not be addressed as his and her royal highness.
From Barron's ● Sep. 7, 2026
“That was in large part engineered by his highness MBS in Saudi Arabia” and other Saudi officials, he said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 20, 2025
“I am available anytime to see you and His royal highness M.B.Z.,”
From New York Times ● May 22, 2022
He also can no longer use the title "his royal highness" in official settings.
From Fox News ● Feb. 16, 2022
‘All of those man-eating giants is enormous and very fierce! They is all at least two times my wideness and double my royal highness!’
From "The BFG" by Roald Dahl
"Their styles as His and Her Royal Highness... are not used," the letter added.
From Barron's ● Sep. 7, 2026
From Home Goods to His Royal Highness King Charles lll’s purveyor, 15 places Los Angeles designers say they shop for rugs.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 3, 2026
While no longer a de facto working royal, Edward lobbied relentlessly for Simpson to be granted the title Her Royal Highness.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 11, 2026
Stern then writes to "Your Royal Highness" saying "The Duchess" has asked him to get in contact, and asking how he "may be of help".
From BBC ● Feb. 28, 2026
“Who is she, Your Highness? Do you know her?”
From "Throne of Glass" by Sarah J. Maas
"Having spent the last two Christmases at Sandringham, their royal highnesses will spend the holidays this year, as a new family, with the duchess' mother, Doria Ragland."
From Fox News ● Nov. 15, 2019
Glittering and clanking behind his catafalque came one emperor, nine kings, five heirs apparent, 40 royal highnesses, three queens and four dowager queens.
From Time Magazine Archive
At last count, there were 72 princes and princesses of Liechtenstein, which is eleven more highnesses than there are square miles in the minuscule principality.
From Time Magazine Archive
Last September, after Parliament failed to approve a bill that would amend the constitution and reduce their highnesses to just plain misters, she ordered the President of India, V.V.
From Time Magazine Archive
In fact, their two imperial highnesses lived in a state of continual warfare.
From Harry Milvaine The Wanderings of a Wayward Boy by Gordon Stables
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.
