Definition of monarchy Monarchy

/mɑˈnɑɹki/ - [manarkee] - mon•ar•chy

We found 8 definitions of monarchy from 6 different sources.

What does monarchy mean?

WordNet

Noun Plural: monarchies
monarchy - an autocracy governed by a monarch who usually inherits the authority
		autarchy, autocracy a political theory favoring unlimited authority by a single individual
		parliamentary monarchy a monarchy having a parliament
		kingdom a basic group of natural objects

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Wiktionary

monarchy (Noun)
A government with a hereditary head of state whether as a figurehead or as a powerful ruler.

Webster DictionaryWebster's Unabridged Dictionary 📘

monarchy (n.)
A state or government in which the supreme power is lodged in the hands of a monarch.
monarchy (n.)
A system of government in which the chief ruler is a monarch.
monarchy (n.)
The territory ruled over by a monarch; a kingdom.

OmegaWiki DictionaryOmegaWiki Dictionary Ω

monarchy
A government with a hereditary head of state.

Wikipedia

A monarchy is a kind of government where a monarch, a kind of hereditary ruler (someone who inherits their office) is the head of state. Monarchs usually rule until they die or resign (when a monarch resigns it is called abdication). Most monarchies are hereditary, but some are elected. The most famous elected monarch is the Pope of the Roman Catholic Church. Some common titles for monarchs are King, Queen, Emperor, Empress, Czar, Kaiser, Shah, and Emir.

History.

Monarchy is one of the oldest kinds of government. Most historians agree that the first monarchies were tribes or small groups of people who decided to let a war-chief or other leader pass on their office to their children. Over time, the rules for deciding who got to become the next monarch became more complicated. In general, the oldest son or, in some countries, daughter, gets to become the next monarch when the old one dies. Kings and other kinds of monarchs have been around for many thousands of years, there are many, for example, mentioned in the Bible as well as ancient historical records. Three of the oldest countries with monarchs that still hold office are the United Kingdom,where the present line of Kings and Queens has been around for nearly 1,000 years, Denmark where the royal line has remained unbroken for almost 1,200 years, and Japan, which has records showing a line of Emperors dating back even further.

Many monarchs today perform mostly the ceremonial jobs of a head of state, while the head of gover