monarchy

noun

mon·​ar·​chy ˈmä-nər-kē How to pronounce monarchy (audio)
 also  -ˌnär-
plural monarchies
1
: undivided rule or absolute sovereignty by a single person
Saudi Arabia is governed by a monarchy.
2
: a nation or state having a monarchical government
Britain is a monarchy.
3
: a government having a hereditary chief of state with life tenure and powers varying from nominal to absolute
The country's hereditary monarchy survived for centuries.

Examples of monarchy in a Sentence

the French monarchy of the 18th century
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Charles has reaffirmed the longstanding position of the monarchy, reinforcing that he is relaxed about any change in status and constitution. Simon Perry, People.com, 21 Oct. 2024 Like most European monarchies, there are plenty of princes and princesses that hang from the branches of the House of Bernadotte family tree—many of whom also regularly make official appearances on behalf of their country. Elise Taylor, Vogue, 8 Oct. 2024 Constantine, a first cousin of Britain’s late Prince Philip and godfather to Prince William, was Greece’s last king before its monarchy was abolished in 1973, though his descendants, including Theodora, 41, still represent the country as princes and princesses. Rachel Burchfield, Peoplemag, 26 Sep. 2024 The scandal tarnished the reputation of Marie-Antoinette, who was unjustly accused of having an immoral relationship with a cardinal, and discredited the French monarchy ahead of the French Revolution, in which the Queen ultimately met her demise. Amarachi Orie, CNN, 24 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for monarchy 

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

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

Dictionary Entries Near monarchy

Cite this Entry

“Monarchy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/monarchy. Accessed 19 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

monarchy

noun
mon·​ar·​chy ˈmän-ər-kē How to pronounce monarchy (audio)
plural monarchies
1
: total rule by one person
2
: a nation or country ruled by a monarch
3
: a form of government having a chief of state who inherits the position, rules for life, and holds powers varying from very limited to total
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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