monarchy

noun

mon·​ar·​chy ˈmä-nər-kē 

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

France ended basically insolvent, and the financial strain brought down its monarchy. —Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 4 May 2026

How the British monarchy has endured in our Meet The Press Minute next. —NBC news, 3 May 2026

While the Princess of Wales died in a car crash in 1997, her face and her story have left a lasting impact and an innate curiosity about how the complex figure really felt about her time in the monarchy. —Laura Martin, Vulture, 1 May 2026

This was the monarchy, improbably and unmistakably, meeting small-town America. —Erin Hill, PEOPLE, 1 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing monarchy

• constitutional monarchy

Kids Definition

monarchy

noun

mon·​ar·​chy ˈmän-ər-kē 

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