Word
highness
Phoneticshigh·ness, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈhaɪnəs/
UK/hˈaɪnəs/
Definitions
01royal title
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Formal
n. a title of respect used when speaking to or about a prince or princess.
n. a formal title of address or reference for a prince, princess, or other high-ranking royal. Usually preceded by 'His', 'Her', or 'Your'.
“The ambassador bowed low when he was introduced to Her Royal Highness.”
“The protocol officer reminded the visiting dignitaries that they should address the princess as Your Royal Highness during the formal reception.”
Synonyms
02state of being high
C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Literary
n. the quality of being high or tall.
n. the state or quality of being high; the physical property of elevation or height.
“The highness of the mountain peaks made them difficult to climb.”
“The sheer highness of the ceiling in the cathedral created an impressive sense of space and light.”
Antonyms
03title for a king
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Archaic · Formal
n. an old title for a king or queen, used in the past before 'Majesty' became common.
n. a historical style of address for a monarch, now largely superseded by 'Majesty'.
“In the old documents, the king was referred to as His Highness.”
“Historical records from the Tudor period show that the king was often addressed as Your Highness before the term Your Majesty became standard.”
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“The new arrival, who is not a Royal Highness, becomes 15th in line to the throne, moving ahead of her great-uncle, the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Edward.” Etymology
Calque of Italian altezza, from Late Latin altitia, from altus + -itia, equivalent to high + -ness. See highness for formation of the English term.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADVERB
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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