What does "empress" mean?
The female monarch (ruler) of an empire.
Empress
/ˈɛmpɹəs/ name, noun, verb
name, noun, verb ·Uncommon ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The female monarch (ruler) of an empire.
- Grammar: empress is listed as name, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: consort, crown, czarina, czarinas.
- Useful contrasts: emperor.
- Usage evidence: The empress is visiting Australia.
How to use "empress"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "empress" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "empress" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "empress" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "empress" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "empress" is acting as name, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "consort" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "empress", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The female monarch (ruler) of an empire.
"Sit downe by her: adorned with my Crowne, As if thou wert the Empreſſe of the world."
- 2 The title of an empress.
"The opening through which French taste jumped was Peter the Great’s “window on Europe,” the new Russian capital he built on the Neva River in 1703 to give Russians greater proximity to European culture, and to showcase Russia’s wealth and burgeoning cultural institutions. It took the better part of a century and Empress Catherine the Great -- wife of Peter’s grandson -- to make it happen."
- 3 a woman emperor or the wife of an emperor wordnet
- 4 The wife or widow of an emperor or equated ruler.
"Empress, imperial regent, and even emperor herself (r. 797–802), Irene was an important and powerful figure at the Byzantine court in the late eighth and early ninth century."
- 5 The third trump or major arcana card of most tarot decks.
Show 3 more definitions
- 6 A female chimpanzee. rare
- 7 A deciduous tree, Paulownia tomentosa
- 8 A fairy chess piece which combines the moves of the rook and the knight.
Verb
- 1 Rare form of impress. form-of, rare
Proper Noun
- 1 A village in Alberta, Canada.
Antonyms
Example
"The empress is visiting Australia."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "empress"?
Common synonyms include: consort, crown, czarina, czarinas, maharani, monarch.
How do you use "empress" in a sentence?
The empress is visiting Australia.
How do you pronounce "empress"?
Pronounced /ˈɛmpɹəs/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English emperice, emperesse, from Anglo-Norman and Old French empereriz, from Latin imperatrix, equivalent to emperor + -ess. Doublet of imperatrix. Compare modern French impératrice.
Etymology 2
From Middle English empresse, from Anglo-Norman enpresser (“to press, to imprint”), from Old French empresser. Attested from the 15th or late 14th century.
Etymology 3
From empress. The village was named in 1913 for Queen Victoria, who was Empress of India.