Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Monarchy
1.
A state or government in which the supreme power is lodged in the hands of a monarch.
2.
A system of government in which the chief ruler is a monarch.
In those days he had affected zeal for
monarchy
. Macaulay.
3.
The territory ruled over by a monarch; a kingdom.
What scourage for perjury
Can this dark
Can this dark
monarchy
afford false Clarence. Shakespeare
Fifth monarchy
, a universal monarchy, supposed to be the subject of prophecy in Daniel ii.; the four preceding monarchies being Assyrian, Persian, Grecian, and Roman. See
Fifth Monarchy men
, under Fifth
.Webster 1828 Edition
Monarchy
MON'ARCHY
,Noun.
1.
A state or government in which the supreme power is lodged in the hands of a single person. Such a state is usually called an empire or a kingdom; and we usually give this denomination to a large state only. But the same name is sometimes given to a kingdom or state in which the power of the king or supreme magistrate is limited by a constitution, or by fundamental laws. Such is the British monarchy. Hence we speak of absolute or despotic monarchies, and of limited monarchies. A free government has a great advantage over a simple monarchy.
2.
A kingdom; an empire.Definition 2025
monarchy
monarchy
English
Noun
monarchy (countable and uncountable, plural monarchies)
- A government in which sovereignty is embodied within a single, today usually hereditary head of state (whether as a figurehead or as a powerful ruler).
- An absolute monarchy is a monarchy where the monarch is legally the ultimate authority in all temporal matters.
- A constitutional monarchy is a monarchy in which the monarch's power is legally constrained, ranging from where minor concessions have been made to appease certain factions to where the monarch is a figurehead with all real power in the hands of a legislative body.
- The territory ruled over by a monarch; a kingdom.
- Shakespeare
- What scourge for perjury / Can this dark monarchy afford false Clarence?
- Shakespeare
- A form of government where sovereignty is embodied by a single ruler in a state and his high aristocracy representing their separate divided lands within the state and their low aristocracy representing their separate divided fiefs.
Usage notes
Historically refers to a wide variety of systems with a single, nominally absolute ruler (compare autocracy, dictatorship), today primarily refers to and connotes a traditional, hereditary position, often with mainly symbolic power. Typically used of rulers who use the terms king/queen or emperor/empress.
Synonyms
Related terms
Coordinate terms
See also: Category:en:Forms of government
| Number | Noun |
|---|---|
| 1 | monarchy |
| 2 | biarchy / binarchy / diarchy / duumvirate |
| 3 | triarchy / triumvirate |
| 4 | tetrarchy / tetradarchy / quadrumvirate |
| 5 | pentarchy / quinumvirate |
| 6 | hexarchy |
| 7 | heptarchy |
| 8 | octarchy / octovirate |
| 10 | decarchy / decemvirate |
| 12 | dodecarchy |
| 20 | vigintivirate |
| 26 | vigintisexviri |
| 100 | hecatontarchy |
Translations
form of government with a hereditary head of state
|
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See also
See also: Category:en:Monarchy