princess

1 of 2

noun

prin·​cess ˈprin(t)-səs How to pronounce princess (audio)
ˈprin-ˌses,
 (usually British)  prin-ˈses
1
archaic : a woman having sovereign power
2
: a female member of a royal family
especially : a daughter or granddaughter of a sovereign
3
: the consort of a prince
4
: one likened to a princess
especially : a woman of high rank or of high standing in her class or profession
a pop music princess

princess

2 of 2

adjective

prin·​cess ˈprin(t)-səs How to pronounce princess (audio)
ˈprin-ˌses,
 (usually British)  prin-ˈses
variants or princesse
: close-fitting and usually with gores from neck to flaring hemline
a princess gown

Examples of princess in a Sentence

Noun She's just a stuck-up princess. as the reigning princess of pop music, she exerts an enormous influence over teens
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Still, the palace’s refusal to release much information about her medical procedure has led to the princess becoming the subject of conjecture, concern and conspiracy theories, the New York Times said. Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 4 Mar. 2024 The princess was last seen in public Dec. 25, at a Christmas Day church service. Samantha Chery, Washington Post, 29 Feb. 2024 And notably, the word that the wildly popular princess would not be seen between Christmas and Easter came weeks before other surprising news out of another nearby royal residence: King Charles would be undergoing treatment for cancer, Buckingham Palace announced on Feb. 5. Kevin Dolak, The Hollywood Reporter, 29 Feb. 2024 In Game Of Thrones, Stannis Baratheon has a great scene with his daughter, the princess Shireen. Erik Kain, Forbes, 9 Feb. 2024 The couple's 2-year-old daughter, Princess Lilibet, was also born in California without a royal title but became a princess when her grandfather King Charles acceded to the throne. Stephanie Petit, Peoplemag, 21 Feb. 2024 In the Damsel trailer released Tuesday, Elodie, a disgraced princess, attempts to survive an impossible fate. Kalia Richardson, Rolling Stone, 13 Feb. 2024 Last month Debicki won a Golden Globe award for best TV supporting actress for her portrayal of the princess. K.j. Yossman, Variety, 13 Feb. 2024 Hollywood To You/Star Max Only Zendaya could make desert alien princess dressing look so right on the red carpet. Hanna Lustig, Glamour, 7 Feb. 2024
Adjective
On his Instagram Stories, Martin also shared a mid-flight selfie from an airplane seat, holding a princess doll and looking out the window. Jack Irvin, Peoplemag, 24 Nov. 2023 Davis also designed the dress and coat for Moore’s daughter, Mia, who appeared at the inauguration in a princess-style blue dress with a matching coat and knit hat with pompoms. Maya Lora, Baltimore Sun, 28 Feb. 2023 Prince Harry was clubbing in Boujis at the weekend and Kate Middleton (pre-princess era) was stepping out in beautiful designer dresses and going rollerblading for charity — and so the royal beat became part of my job. Monique Jessen, Peoplemag, 15 Sep. 2022 Opt for the classic version, featuring an array of stories from beloved Disney and Pixar characters; try the Disney princess-specific calendar; or grab the Marvel edition. Annie Burdick, Peoplemag, 8 Sep. 2022 Actress Paige Hurd celebrated a milestone birthday over the weekend, entering her 30’s in princess fashion with a grand bash in Los Angeles. Rivea Ruff, Essence, 22 July 2022 The looks so far have included a sleek strapless Versace gown, a princess-style Chanel piece and a minimalist Gucci gown. Quinci Legardye, Harper's BAZAAR, 28 May 2022 Consider this the princess version of a naked dress. ELLE, 4 Apr. 2022 And John Carter, with its strange land, smart and feisty princess, loyal animal companion, noble group of underdogs, and its mysterious and villainous wizards, was another fairy tale. Richard Newby, The Hollywood Reporter, 11 Mar. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'princess.' 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

Adjective

French princesse princess, from prince

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1866, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of princess was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near princess

Cite this Entry

“Princess.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/princess. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

princess

noun
prin·​cess
ˈprin(t)-səs,
ˈprin-ˌses,
prin-ˈses
1
: a daughter or granddaughter of a monarch : a female member of a royal family
2
: the wife of a prince

More from Merriam-Webster on princess

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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