throne

American  

[throhn] / θroʊn /

noun

thrones plural

1. the chair or seat occupied by a sovereign, bishop, or other exalted personage on ceremonial occasions, usually raised on a dais and covered with a canopy.

2. the office or dignity of a sovereign.

   He came to the throne by succession.

3. the occupant of a throne; sovereign.

4. sovereign power or authority.

   to address one's pleas to the throne.

5. an episcopal office or authority.

   the diocesan throne.

6. mourners' bench.

7. thrones, an order of angels.

8. Facetious. a toilet.

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verb (used with or without object)

throned, throning

1. to sit on or as on a throne.

throne British  

/ θrəʊn /

noun

1. the ceremonial seat occupied by a monarch, bishop, etc on occasions of state

2. the power, duties, or rank ascribed to a royal person

3. a person holding royal rank

4. (plural; often capital) the third of the nine orders into which the angels are traditionally divided in medieval angelology

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verb

1. to place or be placed on a throne

throne Idioms  

1. see power behind the throne.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• throneless
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• thrones
  plural

Etymology

Origin of throne

1175–1225; Middle English < Latin thronus < Greek thrónos high seat; replacing Middle English trone < Old French < Latin, as above

Explanation

The oversized, bejeweled chair on which a king or queen sits is called a throne. Monarchs — kings and queens — sit on thrones on special ceremonial occasions, and so do religious figures such as bishops and popes. You can also describe the act of naming a new monarch this way: "Queen Elizabeth II of England was throned in 1952." The word throne has its root in the Greek thronos, "chair or elevated seat." In ancient Greek mythology, Zeus was said to sit on a special heavenly seat, the Dios thronous.

Example Sentences

The monarch of American music had successfully reclaimed his throne.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 8, 2026

So when Kim Jong Il passed away in 2011, Kim Jong Un, who was 27 at the time, secured his spot on the throne.

From BBC • Jun. 27, 2026

The throne will join a collection of personal memorabilia, photographs and awards celebrating the life and career of the Birmingham-born musician.

From BBC • Jun. 22, 2026

Originally created for the singer's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2024, the throne became a defining image of his final appearance on stage.

From BBC • Jun. 22, 2026

Dust fell off the three statues—the leopard, the snake, and the god on the throne.

From "Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky" by Kwame Mbalia