monarch

From Middle French monarque, from Late Latin monarcha, from Ancient Greek μονάρχης (monárkhēs), variant of μόναρχος (mónarkhos, “sole ruler”), from μόνος (mónos, “only”) + ἀρχός (arkhós, “leader”).

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈmɒnək/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈmɑnɚk/, /ˈmɑnɑɹk/

• Audio (US)

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• Audio (AU)

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monarch (plural monarchs)

1. The ruler of an absolute monarchy or the head of state of a constitutional monarchy.
   • 1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life of Henry the Fift”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii], page 25:

     Never was monarch better fear'd and lov'd / Than is your Majesty.

2. A monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) and others of genus Danaus, found primarily in North America, so called because of the designs on its wings.
   • 2019, Ocean Vuong, On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous, Jonathan Cape, page 223:

     But I know the monarchs are close by, their orange-and-black wings folded, dusted, and baked by heat, ready to flee south.

3. (Aboriginal English) A police officer.
   • 1961, Nene Gare, The Fringe Dwellers, Text Classics, published 2012, page 41:

     ‘Skippy gets off. An ya know the first thing e says to them monarch? E turns round on em an yelps, “An now ya can just gimme back that bottle.”’

4. (often capitalised) A stag which has sixteen or more points or tines on its antlers.
5. The chief or best thing of its kind.
6. Any bird of the family Monarchidae.

   Synonym: monarch flycatcher

See monarchy.

• (ruler): autocrat, autocrator, big man, despot, dictator, Führer, potentate, sovereign, tyrant

• (ruler): emperor, empress, king, queen

• Monarch butterfly on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• Danaus plexippus on Wikispecies.Wikispecies

A monarch can have any of the following titles:

• emperor/empress
• king/queen
• prince/princess
• grand duke/grand duchess

• chroman, march on, nomarch

From Middle Dutch monarcha, from Latin monarcha, from Ancient Greek μονάρχης (monárkhēs), variant of μόναρχος (mónarkhos, “sole ruler”), from 'μόνος (mónos, “only”) + ἀρχός (arkhós, “leader”).

• IPA^(key): /moːˈnɑrx/

• Audio

  (file)

• Hyphenation: mo‧narch
• Rhymes: -ɑrx

monarch m (plural monarchen, diminutive monarchje n)

1. monarch

• monarchaal
• monarchie
• monarchvlinder

• Afrikaans: monarg