1
a
b
: the ruler of a principality or state
2
: a male member of a royal family
especially : a son of the sovereign
3
: a nobleman of varying rank and status
4
: one likened to a prince
especially : a man of high rank or of high standing in his class or profession
princeship noun

Examples of prince in a Sentence

a neighborhood in which the city's merchant princes built palaces that shamelessly celebrated their wealth
Recent Examples on the Web In his memoir, Spare, the prince describes a weekend of riotous fun, recounting that Arthur outfitted the indoor tennis court with a mechanical bull and bows and arrows Lord of the Rings style. Shawn Tully, Fortune, 7 Aug. 2024 So Aegon's vision could very well refer to a princess instead of a prince. Nick Romano, EW.com, 5 Aug. 2024 One, a mummy thought to be the remains of a prince known as Pentawere, had his throat slit for his role in assassinating his father, Ramesses III (1185-1153 BC). Katie Hunt, CNN, 2 Aug. 2024 Richard Simmons, the goofy clown prince of fitness who turned his passion for weight loss into riches and fame as a Hollywood celebrity, has died. Mike Barnes, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for prince 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'prince.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin princip-, princeps leader, initiator, from primus first + capere to take — more at heave entry 1

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of prince was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near prince

Cite this Entry

“Prince.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prince. Accessed 20 Aug. 2024.

Kids Definition

prince

noun
1
2
: a son or grandson of a monarch : a male member of a royal family
3
: a nobleman of very high rank
4
: a person of high standing in his class or profession
Etymology

Middle English prince "ruler, king," from early French prince (same meaning), from Latin princip-, princeps "leader, initiator," literally, "one who takes the first part," from primus "first" and capere "to take" — related to prime

More from Merriam-Webster on prince

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