monarch

noun

mon·​arch ˈmä-nərk How to pronounce monarch (audio)
-ˌnärk
Synonyms of monarch
1
: a person who reigns over a kingdom or empire: such as
a
: a sovereign ruler
b
: a constitutional (see constitutional entry 1 sense 1) king or queen
2
: one that holds preeminent position or power
Cotton, monarch of the textile world …—Wall Street Journal
3
: monarch butterfly
monarchal
mə-ˈnär-kəl How to pronounce monarch (audio)
mä-
adjective
or monarchial
mə-ˈnär-kē-əl How to pronounce monarch (audio)
mä-

Synonyms of monarch

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Examples of monarch in a Sentence

a new history of French monarchs the ruling monarch of Britain at that time was Queen Elizabeth I
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Princess Rajwa, therefore, is a first cousin twice removed of the nation’s monarch, King Salman. — Stephanie Bridger-Linning, Vanity Fair, 17 Oct. 2026 The trip marks the first visit by a Spanish monarch to the two cities since Felipe's father, Juan Carlos I, toured them in 2007. — Joseph Wilson, Arkansas Online, 14 Oct. 2026 Moves like that remind me of another French monarch, Louis XV. — Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026 During the visit, the pair made history by praying together at the Sistine Chapel—the first public prayer between a British monarch and pope since Henry VIII split from Rome in 1534. — Allison Degrushe, StyleCaster, 14 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for monarch

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin monarcha, from Greek monarchos, from mon- + -archos -arch

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of monarch was in the 15th century

Phrases Containing monarch

Rhymes for monarch

See All Rhymes for monarch

Browse Nearby Words

monapsal
monarch
monarchal
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Monarch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/monarch. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

monarch

noun
mon·​arch ˈmän-ərk How to pronounce monarch (audio)
-ˌärk
1
: a person who reigns over a kingdom or empire: as
a
: a ruler who has total power
absolute monarch
b
: someone who acts primarily as chief of state and who has only limited powers
constitutional monarch
2
: someone or something like a monarch
the oak is the monarch of the forest
3
: monarch butterfly
monarchal
mə-ˈnär-kəl How to pronounce monarch (audio)
mä-
adjective
or monarchial
-kē-əl How to pronounce monarch (audio)

More from Merriam-Webster on monarch

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about monarch

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