monarch

[mon-erk, -ahrk]

noun

1. a hereditary sovereign, as a king, queen, or emperor.

2. a sole and absolute ruler of a state or nation.

3. a person or thing that holds a dominant position.

   a monarch of international shipping.

4. monarch butterfly.

monarch

/ ˈmɒnək, mɒˈnɑːkəl, mɒˈnɑːkɪəl /

noun

1. a sovereign head of state, esp a king, queen, or emperor, who rules usually by hereditary right

2. a supremely powerful or pre-eminent person or thing

3. Also called: milkweed. a large migratory butterfly, Danaus plexippus, that has orange-and-black wings and feeds on the milkweed plant: family Danaidae

Other Word Forms

• monarchical adjective
• monarchist noun
• monarchally adverb
• monarchistic adjective
• monarchism noun
• monarchically adverb
• monarchal adjective
• antimonarch adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of monarch¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Middle French monarche, monarch, from Late Latin monarcha, from Greek mónarchos “sole ruler, monarch”; mon-, -arch

Word History and Origins

Origin of monarch¹

C15: from Late Latin monarcha, from Greek; see _mono- , _-arch

Example Sentences

In the closely watched speech, the monarch said creating jobs for young people and improving the health and education systems were "priorities" -- but made no reference to the protest movement.

Read more on Barron's

Typically, national museums came into being in the 18th and 19th centuries, created by both reigning monarchs and republican governments.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

"Never has it been more important for the world to make a concerted effort to protect and prioritise our planet, and to restore our relationship with it," the monarch said about the project.

Read more on BBC

It was a savvy move, copied by monarchs and dictators across the world ever since.

Read more on Salon

When it opened in 1918, George V was monarch and the country was in the final days of World War I.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• emperor 
• king 
• queen 
• sovereign