prince

[ prins ]

/ prɪns /

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noun

a nonreigning male member of a royal family.

History/Historical. a sovereign or monarch; king.

(in Great Britain) a son or grandson (if the child of a son) of a king or queen.

the English equivalent of any of various titles of nobility in other countries.

a holder of such a title.

the ruler of a small state, as one actually or nominally subordinate to a suzerain: Monaco is ruled by a prince.

a person or thing that is chief or preeminent in any class, group, etc.: a merchant prince.

a person possessing admirably fine and genial characteristics: He is a prince of a man.

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His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of prince

1175–1225; Middle English <Old French <Latin prīncip- (stem of prīnceps) first, principal (adj.), principal person, leader (noun), equivalent to prīn- for prīmusprime + -cep- (combining form of capere to take) + -s nominative singular ending

OTHER WORDS FROM prince

princeless, adjectiveprinceship, noun

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH prince

prince , prints

Words nearby prince

primum mobile, primus, primus inter pares, Primus stove, prin., prince, Prince Albert, Prince Albert National Park, Prince Charming, prince consort, princedom

Other definitions for prince (2 of 2)

Prince

[ prins ]

/ prɪns /

noun

Har·old S(mith)

[har-uhld smith], /ˈhær əld ˈsmɪθ/, "Hal", 1928–2019, U.S. stage director and producer.

Prince Rogers Nelson, 1958–2016, U.S. singer, songwriter, and guitarist.

a male given name.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use prince in a sentence

“It’s 2021 and we are still fighting for bits and pieces of equality,” Prince wrote.
NCAA Accused of 'Disrespectful' Treatment Towards Women's March Madness Teams in Viral TikTok|Megan McCluskey|March 19, 2021|Time
MBS, as the prince is known, “viewed Khashoggi as a threat to the Kingdom,” the report asserts, and “broadly supported using violent measures if necessary to silence him.”
Here's Why the U.S. Didn't Sanction Mohammed bin Salman for His Role in the Jamal Khashoggi Killing|W.J. Hennigan|March 4, 2021|Time
The prince will also no longer serve as captain general of the Royal Marines, a role passed to him from his grandfather, Prince Philip, who had held the post for 64 years.
Prince Harry and Meghan lose their patronages, won’t return as ‘working royals’|William Booth, Karla Adam|February 19, 2021|Washington Post
“There’s going to be a substantial opportunity for companies to create the tools to allow different types of computing paradigms to exist to support all the different regulatory regimes that are out there,” Prince said.
Cloudflare’s privacy crusade continues with a challenge to one of Google’s big data sources|David Meyer|September 29, 2020|Fortune

“We’ve been hearing from a number of publishers in Europe that they want to make sure they’re tracking as little as possible, while still trying to understand how their content is being received,” Prince said.
Cloudflare’s privacy crusade continues with a challenge to one of Google’s big data sources|David Meyer|September 29, 2020|Fortune
The new claims present numerous big problems for Prince Andrew.
Buckingham Palace Disputes Sex Allegations Against Prince ‘Randy Andy’|Tom Sykes|January 4, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Prince may have pranced around like a carefree libertine onstage, but in rehearsal he was more drill sergeant than sprite.
Speed Read: The Juiciest Bits From the History of ‘Purple Rain’|Jennie Yabroff|January 1, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Prince George and his parents are enjoying their first Christmas in their magnificent country home.
Prince George’s Christmas: Better Than Yours|Tom Sykes|December 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And in a big departure from established royal protocol, Prince George might even get a—gasp—present to open on Christmas Day.
Prince George’s Christmas: Better Than Yours|Tom Sykes|December 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The biggest misfire here, though, was the notion that anyone would believe that this dude looked at all like Prince Harry.
The Biggest Bombs of 2014: ‘Sex Tape,’ Mariah Carey’s Vocals, ‘How I Met Your Mother’ and More|Kevin Fallon|December 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And it would be hard indeed, if so remote a prince's notions of virtue and vice were to be offered as a standard for all mankind.
Gulliver's Travels|Jonathan Swift
At the end of the campaign the Emperor justly rewarded his lieutenant by creating him Prince of Wagram.
Napoleon's Marshals|R. P. Dunn-Pattison
He professed both to abominate and despise all mystery, refinement, and intrigue, either in a prince or a minister.
Gulliver's Travels|Jonathan Swift
You will follow the suite of my daughter to Spain, and you will become the bosom Counsellor of the wife of your Prince?
The Pastor's Fire-side Vol. 3 of 4|Jane Porter
Thereon the major-general took on himself to nominate Prince Eugne as Murat's successor.
Napoleon's Marshals|R. P. Dunn-Pattison

British Dictionary definitions for prince (1 of 2)

prince

/ (prɪns) /

noun

(in Britain) a son of the sovereign or of one of the sovereign's sons

a nonreigning male member of a sovereign family

the monarch of a small territory, such as Monaco, usually called a principality, that was at some time subordinate to an emperor or king

any sovereign; monarch

a nobleman in various countries, such as Italy and Germany

an outstanding member of a specified groupa merchant prince

US and Canadian informal a generous and charming man

Derived forms of prince

princelike, adjective

Word Origin for prince

C13: via Old French from Latin princeps first man, ruler, chief

British Dictionary definitions for prince (2 of 2)

Prince

/ (prɪns) /

noun

full name Prince Rogers Nelson. born 1958, US rock singer, songwriter, record producer, and multi-instrumentalist. His albums include Dirty Mind (1981), Purple Rain (1984), Parade (1986), and Sign o' the Times (1987)

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

prince

Origin of prince

OTHER WORDS FROM prince

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH prince

Words nearby prince

Other definitions for prince (2 of 2)

Words related to prince

How to use prince in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for prince (1 of 2)

Derived forms of prince

Word Origin for prince

British Dictionary definitions for prince (2 of 2)