crown

crown — noun

1. a ring-shaped headpiece traditionally made from precious metal and gems, worn by

1.nounB1
Definition

a ring-shaped headpiece traditionally made from precious metal and gems, worn by a monarch on formal occasions as an emblem of royal authority.

Example

The queen placed the golden crown on her head before entering the hall.

Felipe visited the museum to see the ancient crown once worn by Viking rulers.

crown + worn by [ruler]

Common collocations
  • golden crown
  • wear a crown
  • place a crown on
Synonyms
  • diadem

    more literary or historical; a jewelled crown or headband

  • coronet

    a small crown worn by nobles below the rank of king or queen

Grammar Patterns

crown + of + material

Usage Note

The word crown can also refer to the object used in the ceremony of making someone king or queen. Do not confuse with tiara, which is a smaller, often more decorative headpiece worn by women on formal occasions.

Common Mistakes

The king wore a tiara at his coronation.
The king wore a crown at his coronation.
A tiara is a different, smaller head decoration usually worn by women.

2. the position of being the winner of a major sports competition, or the title tha

2.nounB2
Definition

the position of being the winner of a major sports competition, or the title that goes with that position.

Example

The team has not won the league crown for over fifteen years.

Élise defended her tennis crown at the national tournament last summer.

defend one's crown

Common collocations
  • win the crown
  • defend the crown
  • claim the crown
  • lose the crown
Synonyms
  • championship

    more general; can refer to a competition itself, not just the title

  • title

    the most common synonym; used in all sports contexts

Grammar Patterns

the crown

win the crown

claim the crown

Usage Note

Frequently used with verbs like win, claim, defend, or lose. The subject is usually a person or team.

3. the highest or top part of something, especially the head, a hat, or a hill.

3.nounB1
Definition

the highest or top part of something, especially the head, a hat, or a hill.

Example

A dull ache spread from the crown of her head after sitting in the sun.

crown of the head

The crown of the hill was covered in a thick layer of fresh snow.

Common collocations
  • crown of the head
  • crown of a hill
  • tree crown
Synonyms
  • top

    more general and common in everyday speech

  • summit

    specifically for mountains; more formal

  • peak

    used for mountains and for the pointed top of a roof

  • crest

    often used for hills, waves, or ridges

Antonyms
  • base

    the bottom part of an object or mountain

  • bottom

    the lowest part of something

Grammar Patterns

the crown of + noun

Usage Note

When referring to a person's head, crown specifically means the rounded top part. For hills and mountains, it is slightly more literary than summit or peak.

4. an artificial cover made of metal, ceramic, or plastic that a dentist places ove

4.nounB2
Definition

an artificial cover made of metal, ceramic, or plastic that a dentist places over a damaged or weak tooth to protect and strengthen it.

Example

The dentist said Yumi needed a crown on her back molar to prevent damage.

A ceramic crown looks more like a natural tooth than a metal one does.

Common collocations
  • have a crown fitted
  • ceramic crown
  • gold crown
  • crown on a tooth
Synonyms
  • dental cap

    less common; used interchangeably with crown in dentistry

Grammar Patterns

fit a crown

have a crown fitted

Usage Note

In dentistry, a crown covers the entire visible part of the tooth above the gum line. A filling, by contrast, only fills a hole or cavity in the tooth.

Common Mistakes

I need a filling for my cracked tooth.' (when the tooth needs complete coverage)
I need a crown for my cracked tooth.
A filling repairs a small area; a crown covers the whole tooth.

5. an old British silver coin with a value of five shillings, equal to one quarter

5.nounC1
Definition

an old British silver coin with a value of five shillings, equal to one quarter of a pound in the pre-decimal currency system.

Example

The antique shop displayed a silver crown from the reign of King George III.

Eitan inherited a collection of old British coins, including a crown minted in 1845.

crown minted in [year]

Common collocations
  • silver crown
  • crown coin
  • mint a crown
Synonyms

Usage Note

This coin is no longer used as currency since the United Kingdom adopted the decimal system in 1971. Collectors still trade them.

6. the boned breast section of a large bird, especially a turkey, sold without legs

6.nounC1
Definition

the boned breast section of a large bird, especially a turkey, sold without legs or wings and typically roasted as a main dish.

Example

For a small group, a turkey crown is easier to handle than a whole bird.

turkey crown = boned breast without legs

Sari roasted a turkey crown with herbs and served it with roasted vegetables.

Common collocations
  • turkey crown
  • roast a turkey crown
  • buy a turkey crown
Synonyms
  • turkey breast

    more common in American English; less specific about whether legs are removed

Usage Note

This term is mainly used in British English. In American English, the same cut is usually called a turkey breast roast.

7. the authority of a monarch as the legal head of a state, often used in formal or

7.nounB2
Definition

the authority of a monarch as the legal head of a state, often used in formal or legal contexts to refer to the government itself.

Example

All criminal cases in England are brought in the name of the Crown.

The land is owned by the Crown and managed by a government department.

owned by the Crown

Common collocations
  • the Crown
  • owned by the Crown
  • represent the Crown
  • serve the Crown
Synonyms
  • the monarchy

    refers more to the system of royal rule than the legal institution

  • the throne

    a figurative term for the position or power of the king or queen

  • sovereignty

    the supreme power of a state; more abstract

Grammar Patterns

the Crown

Usage Note

Usually capitalised as the Crown when it refers to the institution of government. Frequently used in legal and political contexts.

Idioms

jewel in the crown

idiom

the most valuable, attractive, or admired part of something, such as a collection, a group, or a country's possessions.

The ancient temple is considered the jewel in the crown of the country's cultural heritage.

For years, the company's research lab was the jewel in its crown, attracting top scientists from around the world.

crown jewel

idiom

the most important or valuable part of a larger group or organisation, especially a business asset.

The fashion brand is widely regarded as the crown jewel of the retail group's portfolio.

Investors worried that the company might have to sell its crown jewel division to pay off debts.

to crown it all

idiom

used to introduce a final item in a series, especially one that is the worst (or sometimes the best) and that completes the situation in a striking way.

The car broke down, we lost our tickets, and to crown it all, Ayana realised she had left her passport at the hotel.

The hotel had a great view, wonderful food, and to crown it all, the staff gave us a free upgrade.

the jewel in the crown

idiom

The best or most important part of a group or collection.

The old library is the jewel in the crown of our university.

Is this park the jewel in the crown of the city's attractions?

crown — verb

Word family

  • crowned
    adjectiveB2
  • crowning
    adjectiveC1
  • uncrowned
    adjectiveC1
  • coronation
    nounB2
  • crownless
    adjectiveC1
  • crown prince
    nounB2
  • crown princess
    nounB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/3

All five words describe the highest point of something, but they differ in what they usually refer to. Crown is the most specific to the rounded upper surface of the head, a hat, or a hill — it suggests a curved or domed shape rather than a sharp point. Top is the broadest and most neutral word, suitable for almost any object ('the top of the stairs', 'the top of the page'). Summit is reserved for the highest achievable point of a mountain or, figuratively, of a career or meeting ('summit conference'). Peak often refers to a pointed mountain top or the moment of greatest intensity ('peak hour traffic'). Crest typically describes the highest part of a wave, a hill, or an animal's head ('the crest of a ridge'). For everyday use, top works everywhere; crown adds a touch of formality and a sense of rounded shape; summit and peak are more dramatic; crest is best for wavy or ridged surfaces. Example: 'He stood at the crown of the hill and looked down,' vs. 'He reached the summit of the mountain after three days of climbing.'

topsummit ↗peak ↗crest ↗crown ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • crown prince
  • crown princess
  • crown court
  • crown jewels
  • crown land
  • crown colony

Adverbs

  • newly crowned
  • rightfully crowned
  • freshly crowned

Phrases

  • the crown of one's head
  • crown of thorns
  • crown of glory

Prepositions

  • crown of
  • crown with

Etymology

GreekLatinFrenchEnglish

The word crown entered English around the 1100s from the Old French corone (modern French couronne), which came from the Latin corona, meaning 'wreath, garland, or crown'. The Latin word itself came from the Greek korōnē, meaning 'curved object' or 'something bent', related to korōnos 'curved, bent'. The original sense in ancient Greece and Rome was a wreath of leaves worn on the head as a mark of honour or victory — later adopted by royalty as a symbol of power made from precious metals and jewels. Over the centuries, crown developed many figurative extensions: the top of the head (because it is ringed by the hairline), the highest part of anything (a hill, a hat, a tree), and artificial tooth covers (because they 'cap' the tooth like a crown caps a head). The verb senses followed naturally: to crown someone is to place a crown on them, both literally (royalty) and figuratively (champion, achievement).