ENGLISH
REFERENCE

majesty

n. C / U
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈmædʒəsti// UK //mˈædʒəsti// majesty

n. a title used when speaking to or about a king or queen. It also describes a quality of being very impressive, grand, or beautiful.

n. a title of address for a sovereign; also the quality of impressive stateliness or grandeur. When used as a title, it is typically preceded by a possessive pronoun such as 'His', 'Her', or 'Your'.


SIMPLE

The mountain peaks have a natural majesty.

CONTEXTUAL

The ambassador bowed low and addressed the queen as Your Majesty during the formal ceremony.

COMPLEX

The sheer majesty of the cathedral's vaulted ceiling left the tourists in a state of silent awe, regardless of their personal religious convictions.

Synonyms
Origin

From an alternative capitalization of English majesty, from Middle English maieste, mageste, from Old French majesté, from Latin māiestās, derived from Proto-Indo-European *meǵh₂s (“great”).

Usage

Capitalised when used as a formal title of address for a monarch. Uncountable when referring to the abstract quality of grandeur.

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