monarch
Americannoun
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a hereditary sovereign, as a king, queen, or emperor.
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a sole and absolute ruler of a state or nation.
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a person or thing that holds a dominant position.
a monarch of international shipping.
noun
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a sovereign head of state, esp a king, queen, or emperor, who rules usually by hereditary right
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a supremely powerful or pre-eminent person or thing
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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
Derived Forms
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monarchismnoun
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monarchistnoun
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antimonarchadjective
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monarchaladjective
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monarchicaladjective
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monarchisticadjective
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monarchallyadverb
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monarchicallyadverb
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of monarch
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Middle French monarche, monarch, from Late Latin monarcha, from Greek mónarchos “sole ruler, monarch”; see mon-, -arch
Explanation
If you think the Queen of England is just the coolest thing ever, then you like monarchs: hereditary rulers of countries usually known as king or queen. You might think your principal rules with absolute power, but that's not really true: there's a school board and an administration and she can't really control everything. But a monarch can. Monarch comes from the Greek mono, "one," and archon, "ruler." Many modern monarchies actually have parliaments and constitutions, leaving the monarch more symbolic than powerful. A monarch is also a particularly royal looking butterfly with orange wings and black and white spots.
Vocabulary lists containing monarch
Play by the Rules: Arch
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"Black Panther" Lingo
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Christmas Carol Vocab: A Lyrical Lexicon
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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.
For just a moment, he was in his happy place, contemplating his ballroom and thinking about how he might compare to Louis XIV, the monarch he might most admire if he knew anything about him.
From Salon • Jun. 18, 2026
Under the Sovereign Grant Act 2011, if the Crown Estate's profits fall, the monarch still currently receives the same amount as the previous year, with the government making up the difference.
From BBC • Jun. 5, 2026
If people exterminate hives, native pollinators such as monarch butterflies, bumblebees, wasps and more can also be affected by the insecticides used.
From Los Angeles Times • May 29, 2026
It has long been an important source of legitimacy for the Al Saud dynasty, whose monarch has the title "Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques", in Mecca and Medina.
From Barron's • May 26, 2026
"Long live any monarch who learns to speak of mercy, pity, and peace while still in his mother's arms. People, behold your king! Beowulf will uphold and protect him as long as he lives!"
From "Beowulf: A New Telling" by Robert Nye
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.
