princess

princess — noun

1. a woman or girl belonging to a ruling house but not occupying the throne — she m

1.nounB1
Definition

a woman or girl belonging to a ruling house but not occupying the throne — she may be born into that house or become a member through marriage to a prince

Example

Princess Charlotte walked hand in hand with her mother through the palace garden.

title use: Princess + first name (no article)

The princess was invited to open the new children's hospital in the city centre.

Common collocations
  • crown princess
  • fairy-tale princess
  • princess dress / gown
  • princess cut

Grammar Patterns

princess + of + place

Princess + name (as title)

Common Mistakes

I saw the Princess Diana at the mall.
I saw Princess Diana at the mall.
no article (the) is used before a royal title when followed by a name.
The princesses crown is made of gold.
The princess's crown is made of gold.' or 'The princesses' crowns are made of gold.
possessive form uses apostrophe-s for singular.

Word family

  • prince
    nounB1
  • princely
    adjectiveC1
  • principality
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

A princess is specifically the daughter or granddaughter of a king and queen, or the wife of a prince — she belongs to the royal family by birth or marriage. A queen is the female monarch or the wife of a king, holding higher rank and often sovereign power. A duchess ranks below a princess; she is the wife or widow of a duke, or a woman who holds a duchy in her own right. A noblewoman is a broader term for any woman of aristocratic birth — she may be a baroness, countess, or marchioness but not necessarily a member of the royal family. Royal is the most general word, used as both noun and adjective for any member of a royal family including kings, queens, princes, and princesses. For example, Princess Catherine is a royal by marriage, while Queen Elizabeth II was a royal by birth who later became the sovereign.

queen ↗duchessnoblewomanroyal ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Princess comes from the Old French word 'princesse', which is the female form of 'prince'. This, in turn, traces back to the Latin 'princeps', meaning 'first citizen' or 'leader'. The word was adopted into English around the 1300s, originally referring to a female ruler or the daughter of a royal family.