A (male) sovereign ruler; a monarch, a king. Now chiefly archaic and historical, or in rhetorical use.

spec. The recognized supreme ruler of a people or country under monarchical government; a monarch; a king or queen.

In early use: a sole and absolute ruler of a state. Subsequently also: any ruler or sovereign bearing the title of king, queen, emperor, empress…

A prince, sovereign, or other royal person.

A king, queen, prince, or princess. Obsolete.

A ruler; a royal person. Obsolete. rare.

Also with capital initial. The wearer of a royal crown; the monarch in his or her official character; the supreme governing power of a state under a…

A monarch, prince, ruler, esp. an autocratic one. Also: a powerful or influential person; a magnate.

With the: the occupant of a throne; the sovereign ruler or monarch. Formerly also (in quot. 1593) with possessive adjective as a form of address…

(A title of) the ruler and other male members of the royal family of Morocco and (formerly) of the ruler of any of various kingdoms in North-west…

derogatory. A monarch.

= sovereign, n.

transferred. In allusion to the supposed use of the word in certain passages of the Bible to denote earthly potentates. (This interpretation is now…

the chief public representative of a country (sometimes also the head of the government), such as a president or monarch.

the Palace: (metonymically) the monarch or monarchy; royal officials.