monarch

n. [ F. monarque, L. monarcha, fr. Gr. &unr_;, &unr_;; mo`nos alone + &unr_; to be first, rule, govern. See Archi-. ] 1. A sole or supreme ruler; a sovereign; the highest ruler; an emperor, king, queen, prince, or chief. [ 1913 Webster ]

He who reigns
Monarch in heaven, . . . upheld by old repute. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. One superior to all others of the same kind; as, an oak is called the monarch of the forest. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A patron deity or presiding genius. [ 1913 Webster ]

Come, thou, monarch of the vine,
Plumpy Bacchus. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Zool.) A very large red and black butterfly (Danais Plexippus); -- called also milkweed butterfly and monarch butterfly. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Pertaining to a monarch; suiting a monarch; sovereign; regal; imperial. [ 1913 Webster ]

Satan, whom now transcendent glory raised
Above his fellows, with monarchal pride. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) A very large red and black butterfly (Danais Plexippus) having striking orange-brown wings with black veins in a reticulated pattern; -- called also milkweed butterfly and monarch. Its larvae feed on the leaves of the milkweed. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

n. A female monarch. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Monarchic. Burke. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Eccl. Hist.) One of a sect in the early Christian church which rejected the doctrine of the Trinity; -- called also patripassian. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } a. [ F. monarchique, Gr. &unr_;. ] Of or pertaining to a monarch, or to monarchy. Burke. -- Mo*nar"chic*al*ly, adv. [1913 Webster]

n. The principles of, or preference for, monarchy. [ 1913 Webster ]