prince

1 of 2

noun (1)

ˈprin(t)s How to pronounce prince (audio)
Synonyms of princenext
1
a
: monarch, king
b
: the ruler of a principality or state
2
: a male member of a royal family
especially : a son of the sovereign
3
: a nobleman of varying rank and status
4
: one likened to a prince
especially : a man of high rank or of high standing in his class or profession
princeship
ˈprin(t)s-ˌship How to pronounce prince (audio)
noun

princeship

2 of 2

noun (2)

prince·​ship ˈprin(t)sˌship How to pronounce princeship (audio)
-nˌsh-
1
: the dignity or position of a prince
2
: the period during which a prince (as an heir apparent) is such

Synonyms of prince

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Noun (1)

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Examples of prince in a Sentence

Noun (1) a neighborhood in which the city's merchant princes built palaces that shamelessly celebrated their wealth
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.
Noun
No two tales of what happened to Maelor after his knight protector was shot dead agree, but the young boy was also slain on the bridge, perhaps torn apart by the mob who assailed him, arguing over what to do with the young prince. — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026 People don’t do what they’re supposed to, or someone betrays someone else for money or power or spite, or maybe a dragon just disobeys its rider and decides to murder a prince. — Brian Grubb, Vulture, 10 Aug. 2026 Cypher was a virtual unknown when he was cast as the prince alongside rising British star Andrews in Rodgers & Hammerstein’s original musical adaptation of Cinderella. — Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 10 Aug. 2026 The former prince, her second son, settled a civil suit with Roberts Giuffre in 2022 for an undisclosed amount. — Laura Trujillo, USA Today, 7 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for prince

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin princip-, princeps leader, initiator, from primus first + capere to take — more at heave entry 1

Noun (2)

prince + -ship

First Known Use

Noun (1)

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of prince was in the 13th century

Phrases Containing prince

Rhymes for prince

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Browse Nearby Words

princ
prince
prince's feather
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Cite this Entry

“Prince.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prince. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

prince

noun
ˈprin(t)s How to pronounce prince (audio)
1
: monarch sense 1
2
: a son or grandson of a monarch : a male member of a royal family
3
: a nobleman of very high rank
4
: a person of high standing in his class or profession
Etymology

Noun

Middle English prince "ruler, king," from early French prince (same meaning), from Latin princip-, princeps "leader, initiator," literally, "one who takes the first part," from primus "first" and capere "to take" — related to prime

More from Merriam-Webster on prince

Nglish: Translation of prince for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about prince

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