different between monarchy vs monarchical

English

Etymology

From Old French monarchie, from Late Latin monarchia, from Ancient Greek ???????? (monarkhía), from ????? (mónos, “only”) + ???? (arkh?, “power, authority”). Surface analysis: mon- (“one”, “single”) +? -archy (“rule”, “command”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?m?n?ki/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?m?n?ki/
• Hyphenation: mon?ar?chy

Noun

monarchy (countable and uncountable, plural monarchies)

1. A government in which sovereignty is embodied within a single, today usually hereditary head of state (whether as a figurehead or as a powerful ruler).

   An absolute monarchy is a monarchy where the monarch is legally the ultimate authority in all temporal matters.

   A constitutional monarchy is a monarchy in which the monarch's power is legally constrained, ranging from where minor concessions have been made to appease certain factions to where the monarch is a figurehead with all real power in the hands of a legislative body.

2. The territory ruled over by a monarch; a kingdom.
3. A form of government where sovereignty is embodied by a single ruler in a state and his high aristocracy representing their separate divided lands within the state and their low aristocracy representing their separate divided fiefs.
4. States based on a system of governance headed by a king or a queen.

Usage notes

Historically refers to a wide variety of systems with a single, nominally absolute ruler (compare autocracy, dictatorship), today primarily refers to and connotes a traditional, hereditary position, often with mainly symbolic power. Typically used of rulers who use the terms king/queen or emperor/empress.

Synonyms

• (rule): See Thesaurus:government
• (state): kingdom

Coordinate terms

• See Thesaurus:government

Related terms

• monarch
• monarchic

Translations

See also

• Category:en:Monarchy

Anagrams

• nomarchy

Polish

Noun

monarchy

1. genitive singular of monarcha

English

Etymology

From monarch +? -ical.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /m??n??k?k(?)l/

Adjective

monarchical (comparative more monarchical, superlative most monarchical)

1. Of or pertaining to a monarch or monarchy.

2. Having sole or undivided authority.
   • 2009, Diarmaid MacCulloch, A History of Christianity, Penguin 2010, p. 133-4:

     But in this contest of martyrs, it was Ignatius's passionate account of a monarchical episcopal ministry which set the pattern for the future.

Synonyms

• monarchal, monarchial, monarchic

Derived terms

• monarchical hero

Translations