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.
Harald, who has been monarch since 1991, has been in and out of the hospital several times in recent years. — ABC News, 24 Aug. 2026 Such Chinese characters were inscribed or stamped on most of the hundreds of thousands of works made during the Chinese monarch’s rule in the 18th century. — Stephy Chung, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026 On July 10, Harry, Meghan and their children met with King Charles, 77, and Queen Camilla, 79, at Highgrove, the monarch’s country retreat. — Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 21 Aug. 2026 The Sussexes met with the king at the monarch’s country home, Highgrove House, back in July. — Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 21 Aug. 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 30 Aug. 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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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