Empress Meaning
/ˈɛmpɹəs/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounThe female monarch (ruler) of an empire.
nounThe wife or widow of an emperor or equated ruler.
Sentence Examples
The empress is visiting Australia.
Tom impressed the empress.
Empress Dowager Cixi held control in China for forty-seven years.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The ancient ____ ruled the empire with wisdom and grace.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The noble ____ wore a crown encrusted with expensive diamonds.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English emperice, emperesse, from Anglo-Norman and Old French empereriz, from Latin imperatrix, equivalent to emperor + -ess. Doublet of imperatrix. Compare modern French impératrice.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Sit downe by her: adorned with my Crowne,
As if thou wert the Empreſſe of the world."
— c. 1587–1588 (date written), [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire; London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act III, scene iii:
"Empress, imperial regent, and even emperor herself (r. 797–802), Irene was an important and powerful figure at the Byzantine court in the late eighth and early ninth century."
— 2008, Encyclopedia of Barbarian Europe: Society in Transformation, page 211:
"The opening through which French taste jumped was Peter the Great’s “window on Europe,” the new Russian capital he built on the Neva River in 1703 to give Russians greater proximity to European culture, and to showcase Russia’s wealth and burgeoning cultural institutions. It took the better part of a century and Empress Catherine the Great -- wife of Peter’s grandson -- to make it happen."
— 2003 March 3, Jo Ann Lewis, “An empress’ Louvre and labor of love”, in Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles, Calif.: Los Angeles Times Communications, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 30 Nov 2025:
"Japan’s Empress Michiko, left, being welcomed by Manmohan Singh, prime minister of India, in New Delhi. Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko are in India on a state visit to commemorate the 60th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties."
— 2013 December 2, “Image of the Day: December 2”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 04 Dec 2013:
"Japan's strict succession rules dictate that only men can inherit the throne, with a government advisory panel backing the tradition in a July vote despite public opinion in favour of allowing Empresses."
— 2021 October 1, Chris Pleasance, “Japan's Princess Mako is suffering from PTSD over criticism of her marriage to a commoner, it is revealed: […]”, in Daily Mail, London: DMG Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 01 Oct 2021:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The ancient ____ ruled the empire with wisdom and grace.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The noble ____ wore a crown encrusted with expensive diamonds.