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
- antimonarch adjective
- monarchal adjective
- monarchally adverb
- monarchical adjective
- monarchically adverb
- monarchism noun
- monarchist noun
- monarchistic adjective
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”; mon-, -arch
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.
The UK monarch held an audience with Sharaa on Tuesday afternoon, Buckingham Palace said.
From Barron's • Mar. 31, 2026
Working with other volunteers, Smee has helped remove invasive plants and plant native species, including 30 oak trees that attract local wildlife like the endangered monarch butterfly, mountain lions and bobcats.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2026
Felipe's words, posted by the Spanish royal household's official Instagram account, mark the first time that a Spanish monarch has publicly acknowledged abuses during the country's colonial era.
From BBC • Mar. 19, 2026
They will continue to feature a portrait of the monarch King Charles III on the other side.
From Barron's • Mar. 12, 2026
But, unlike koalas and monarch butterflies, omnivores not only can eat different foods, we need to eat a variety of foods to stay healthy.
From "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan
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.
