monarchy
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
a system where a country is ruled by a king or queen, often for their whole life.
a form of government in which sovereignty is embodied in a single individual, typically a hereditary head of state.
Simple“Many people still support the monarchy because of its long history and tradition.”
In context“The transition from an absolute monarchy to a constitutional one required significant legal reforms to limit the sovereign's power.”
Synonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
the king or queen and their family as a group.
the monarch and the royal family collectively as a social or political institution.
Simple“The monarchy remains a very popular symbol of national identity in the UK.”
In context“Public opinion regarding the monarchy often fluctuates depending on the conduct of individual members of the royal family.”
Synonymsroyaltythe crown - 03 C1 Advanced
a country that is ruled by a monarch.
the territorial realm or state over which a monarch exercises authority.
Simple“The ancient monarchy stretched across several modern-day borders.”
In context“Historians have mapped the expansion of the monarchy during the twelfth century, noting the strategic importance of its coastal territories.”
“The Iranian government has since then announced a large number of arrests of people it says are supporters of the monarchy.”
From Old French monarchie, from Late Latin monarchia, from Ancient Greek μοναρχία (monarkhía), from μόνος (mónos, “only”) + ἀρχή (arkhḗ, “power, authority”). By surface analysis, mon- (“one, single”) + -archy (“rule, command”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.