majesty
noun
regal, lofty, or stately dignity; imposing character; grandeur.
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majesty
American
[maj-uh-stee]
/ ˈmædʒ ə sti /
noun
majesties
plural
-
regal, lofty, or stately dignity; imposing character; grandeur.
majesty of bearing; the majesty of Chartres.
-
supreme greatness or authority; sovereignty.
All paid tribute to the majesty of Rome.
-
(usually initial capital letter) a title used when speaking of or to a sovereign (usually preceded by his, her, oryour ).
His Majesty's Navy; Will your Majesty hear our petitions?
-
a royal personage, or royal personages collectively.
The royal wedding was attended by the majesties of Europe.
-
Christ in Majesty, a representation of Christ as ruler of the universe.
majesty
1
British
/ ˈmædʒɪstɪ /
noun
-
great dignity of bearing; loftiness; grandeur
-
supreme power or authority
-
an archaic word for royalty
Majesty
2
British
/ ˈmædʒɪstɪ /
noun
Etymology
Origin of majesty
1250–1300; Middle English majeste < Middle French < Latin majestāt- (stem of majestās ) dignity, grandeur, equivalent to majes- (akin to majus < *mag-yos, neuter comparative of magnus large; cf. major) + -tāt- -ty 2
Explanation
Majesty describes a quality that takes your breath away, it's so impressive. The Grand Canyon has it, and so does a British monarch (supposedly). The word majesty brings to mind a luxurious castle, which is appropriate because it is also used to address or refer to a king or queen. The Latin root word is maiestatem, which means "greatness, dignity, or excellence," and people first used the noun majesty to talk about God. It was England's King Henry VIII who decided that majesty would be the official way to address a British monarch.
Vocabulary lists containing majesty
Words from the 4th of July Songbook
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Quartering Act (1765)
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The Skin I'm In
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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.
These long, winding, canal-like tunnels, big enough for boats, are nothing short of the subterranean answer to the city’s boulevards, with an unexpected, if somewhat infernal, majesty.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 10, 2026
He holds fast to what he knows to be true: the majesty of his own goodness.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 17, 2026
"To be able to look at these things and appreciate the beauty," James says, "the majesty and the scale of it - it's just amazing."
From BBC • Feb. 28, 2026
MILAN—Away from the majesty of the Italian alps and the high-wattage spotlight of figure skating, speedskater Jordan Stolz has quietly compiled the most impressive résumé of any American at the Winter Olympics.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 21, 2026
But the Men of Rhûn and of Harad, Easterling and Southron, saw the ruin of their war and the great majesty and glory of the Captains of the West.
From "The Return of the King" by J.R.R. Tolkien
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.
