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monarchy - 5 dictionary results

mon⋅ar⋅chy

[mon-er-kee]
–noun, plural -chies.
1. a state or nation in which the supreme power is actually or nominally lodged in a monarch. Compare absolute monarchy, limited monarchy.
2. supreme power or sovereignty held by a single person.

Origin:
1300–50; ME monarchie < LL monarchia < Gk monarchía. See monarch, -y 3


1. See kingdom.
mon·ar·chy   (mŏn'ər-kē, -är'-)   
n.   pl. mon·ar·chies
  1. Government by a monarch.
  2. A state ruled or headed by a monarch.

[Middle English monarchie, from Old French, from Latin monarchia, from Greek monarkhiā, from monarkhos, monarch; see monarch.]
mo·nar'chi·al (mə-när'kē-əl) adj.

Monarchy

Mon"arch*y\, n.; pl. Monarchies. [F. monarchie, L. monarchia, Gr. ?. See Monarch.]

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 monarchy afford false Clarence. --Shak.

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.
Language Translation for : monarchy
Spanish: monarquía,
German: die Monarchie,
Japanese: 君主制

monarchy [(mon-uhr-kee, mon-ahr-kee)]

A system of government in which one person reigns, usually a king or queen. The authority, or crown, in a monarchy is generally inherited. The ruler, or monarch, is often only the head of state, not the head of government. Many monarchies, such as Britain and Denmark, are actually governed by parliaments. (See absolute monarchy and constitutional monarchy.)


monarchy 
"rule by one person," c.1390, from O.Fr. monarchie, from L.L. monarchia, from Gk. monarkhia "absolute rule," lit. "ruling of one," from monos "alone" (see mono-) + arkhein "to rule." Meaning "a state ruled by monarchical government" is from c.1430; monarch is from c.1450; monarchist first attested 1647.
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