queen's English

noun

1. king's English.

queen's English

noun

1. (when the British sovereign is female) standard Southern British English

Word History and Origins

Origin of queen's English¹

First recorded in 1585–95

Example Sentences

Actors in previous generations would have been expected to speak "Queen's English", but Burton embraced where he was from, Mr Talfan said.

From BBC

"The reason I started it is because I have an Essex accent and I really want other people who don't have that perfect Queen's English voice to know that they can still use their voice and they can speak at conferences," Amy says.

From BBC

Received pronunciation, also known as "Queen's English" does well to gain people's trust, but mainly because of its social prestige.

From BBC

Locke — with his glossy hair falling past his shoulders, Queen’s English and predilection for wearing designer shirts open to the sternum — worried that he might be depicted as garish, affluent, out of touch with the common man.

From New York Times

Sarah Thompson, the chef’s wife, is the smile in the dining room, the cheerleader behind the restaurant’s daily “natty hour” featuring natural wines and the other half of what makes Queen’s English such a personal, pleasurable experience.

From Washington Post