prince

¹

[ prins ]

noun

1. a nonreigning male member of a royal family.
2. History/Historical. a sovereign or monarch; king.
3. (in Great Britain) a son or grandson (if the child of a son) of a king or queen.
4. the English equivalent of any of various titles of nobility in other countries.
5. a holder of such a title.
6. the ruler of a small state, as one actually or nominally subordinate to a suzerain:

   Monaco is ruled by a prince.

7. a person or thing that is chief or preeminent in any class, group, etc.:

   a merchant prince.

8. a person possessing admirably fine and genial characteristics:

   He is a prince of a man.

Prince

²

[ prins ]

noun

1. Har·old S(mith) [har, -, uh, ld , smith], Hal, 1928–2019, U.S. stage director and producer.
2. Prince Rogers Nelson, 1958–2016, U.S. singer, songwriter, and guitarist.
3. a male given name.

Prince

¹

/ prɪns /

noun

1. Prince1958MUSMUSIC: rock singerMUSIC: songwriterMUSIC: record producer full name Prince Rogers Nelson. born 1958, US rock singer, songwriter, record producer, and multi-instrumentalist. His albums include Dirty Mind (1981), Purple Rain (1984), Parade (1986), and Sign o' the Times (1987)

prince

²

/ prɪns /

noun

1. (in Britain) a son of the sovereign or of one of the sovereign's sons
2. a nonreigning male member of a sovereign family
3. the monarch of a small territory, such as Monaco, usually called a principality, that was at some time subordinate to an emperor or king
4. any sovereign; monarch
5. a nobleman in various countries, such as Italy and Germany
6. an outstanding member of a specified group

   a merchant prince

7. informal.
   a generous and charming man

Derived Forms

• ˈprinceˌlike, adjective

Other Words From

• princeless adjective
• princeship noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of prince¹

1175–1225; Middle English < Old French < Latin prīncip- (stem of prīnceps ) first, principal (adj.), principal person, leader (noun), equivalent to prīn- for prīmus prime + -cep- (combining form of capere to take) + -s nominative singular ending

Word History and Origins

Origin of prince¹

C13: via Old French from Latin princeps first man, ruler, chief

Example Sentences

Those on Titan could stay in contact with the support ship, the Polar Prince, with text messages sent through its onboard communications system.

From BBC

The event will come at the end of a year during which the princess has had to largely withdraw from public duties following a cancer diagnosis, a period that the Prince of Wales recently described as the hardest of his life.

From BBC

The carol service is supported by the Royal Foundation, the charity which supports the work of the prince and princess.

From BBC

But good luck keeping straight the roles assigned to Gabby Beans, who’s called upon to play Mercutio, the Friar and the Prince.

From Los Angeles Times

She joined Prince William and other members of the Royal Family for a Remembrance concert at the Royal Albert Hall on Saturday night - her first major formal appearance since finishing chemotherapy.

From BBC