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princeling

American  
[prins-ling] / ˈprɪns lɪŋ /

noun

  1. a young prince.

  2. a subordinate, minor, or insignificant prince.


princeling British  
/ ˈprɪnslɪŋ /

noun

  1. Also called: princekin.  a young prince

  2. Also called: princelet.  the ruler of an insignificant territory; petty or minor prince

"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

Etymology

Origin of princeling

First recorded in 1610–20; prince + -ling 1

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.

See Examples For:

Aster’s breakout debut, “Hereditary,” gave him an overnight pedigree as the princeling of highbrow horror films about trauma.

From Los Angeles Times Jul. 17, 2025

"Losing the ‘Helaena’s Choice’ beat did weaken the scene, but not to any great degree," Martin wrote. "There is another aspect to the removal of the young princeling, however."

From Salon Sep. 6, 2024

A friend said after his death that the princeling had felt pressed to match the family fame — and was miserable about falling short.

From Washington Post Jan. 13, 2023

He was closely linked with Bo Xilai, another "princeling" who was a rival of Mr Xi's.

From BBC Oct. 16, 2022

“Something bothering you, princeling? You and Jude don’t get along after all?”

From "The Cruel Prince" by Holly Black

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