What does "prince" mean?
A (male) ruler, a sovereign; a king, monarch.
Prince
/pɹɪns/ name, noun, verb
name, noun, verb ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A (male) ruler, a sovereign; a king, monarch.
- Grammar: prince is listed as name, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: absalom, acceptable person, ameer, ameers.
- Useful contrasts: citizen, commoner, princesses.
- Usage evidence: The prince bowed down to Snow White.
How to use "prince"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "prince" 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 "prince" 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 "prince" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "prince" 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 "prince" 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 "absalom" 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 "prince", 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 A (male) ruler, a sovereign; a king, monarch. archaic, historical
"Truely, to see our Princes all alone, sitting at their meat, beleagred round with so many talkers, whisperers, and gazing beholders, unknowne what they are or whence they come, I have often rather pittied than envied them."
- 2 The title of a prince.
"Having been at the center of an international tragedy, the general public view is that the next generation—Princes William and Harry, and also Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice—have suffered enough and deserve every moment of happiness coming their way, and people are more than willing to help them celebrate their successes."
- 3 a male member of a royal family other than the sovereign (especially the son of a sovereign) wordnet
- 4 A female monarch. obsolete
"Queen Elizabeth, a prince admirable above her sex."
- 5 Someone who is preeminent in their field; a great person.
"He is a prince among men."
Show 6 more definitions
- 6 The (male) ruler or head of a principality.
"He is the prince who never grew up – a one-time playboy and son of the Hollywood star Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier of Monaco."
- 7 A male member of a royal family other than the ruler; especially (in the United Kingdom) the son or grandson of the monarch.
- 8 A non-royal high title of nobility, especially in France and the Holy Roman Empire.
"Prince Louis de Broglie won the 1929 Nobel Prize in Physics."
- 9 A type of court card used in tarot cards, the equivalent of the jack.
- 10 The mushroom Agaricus augustus.
- 11 Any of various nymphalid butterflies of the genus Rohana.
Verb
- 1 To behave or act like a prince. intransitive, often, rare
"The Roofes of Palaces, and Nature prompts them / In ſimple and lowe things, to Prince it, much / Beyond the tricke of others."
- 2 To transform (someone) into a prince. rare, transitive
"All I could remember is the chorus, and something about pumpkins turning into princesses (???!) and frogs turning into princes. I figured she meant the frog was John before she princed him."
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname transferred from the nickname for someone who acted like a prince, or played the part in a pageant, or served in the household of a prince. countable, uncountable
- 2 A male given name from English in occasional use. countable, uncountable
"Prince Fielder hit another home run today."
- 3 A township in Algoma District, Ontario, Canada. countable, uncountable
- 4 A hamlet in the Rural Municipality of Meota No. 468, Saskatchewan, Canada. countable, uncountable
- 5 A census-designated place in Fayette County, West Virginia, United States. countable, uncountable
Antonyms
Example
"The prince bowed down to Snow White."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "prince"?
Common synonyms include: absalom, acceptable person, ameer, ameers, amir, amirs.
How do you use "prince" in a sentence?
The prince bowed down to Snow White.
How do you pronounce "prince"?
Pronounced /pɹɪns/.
Etymology
From Middle English prince, from Anglo-Norman prince, from Latin prīnceps (“first head”), from prīmus (“first”) + capiō (“seize, take”). Cognate with Old English fruma (“prince, ruler”). Doublet of princeps and principe. Displaced native Middle English atheling, from Old English æþeling; Middle English kinebarn, from Old English cynebearn; Middle English alder, from Old English ealdor; and Middle English drighten, from Old English dryhten.