empress Definition
- 1a female ruler of an empire
- 2the wife of an emperor
Using empress: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "empress" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
Catherine the Great was the empress of Russia.
Example
The empress wore a beautiful gown to the ball.
Example
The empress dowager ruled China for many years.
Example
The emperor and empress were greeted by cheering crowds.
empress Synonyms and Antonyms
Phrases with empress
a female monarch who reigns in her own right, as opposed to a queen consort, who is the wife of a reigning king
Example
Queen Elizabeth II is an empress regnant.
the widow of an emperor who rules in the name of her son or another heir until he reaches adulthood
Example
Cixi was an empress dowager of China.
Example
Anna Wintour is often referred to as the empress of fashion.
Origins of empress
from Old English 'emperice', from Latin 'imperatrix', feminine form of 'imperator'
Summary: empress in Brief
An 'empress' [ˈɛmprəs] is a female ruler of an empire or the wife of an emperor. It can refer to a reigning monarch, as in 'Catherine the Great was the empress of Russia,' or to a dowager who rules in the name of her son or another heir, as in 'Cixi was an empress dowager of China.' The term extends into phrases like 'empress regnant,' which denotes a female monarch who reigns in her own right, and 'empress of fashion,' which refers to a person who is highly influential in the fashion industry.
