Princess is a female royal, or the daughter of a monarch, often used to denote noble status in literature and conversation. It also serves as a generic term of address in certain contexts. The word carries ceremonial and aspirational connotations, and appears in titles, stories, and media branding.
"The princess greeted the crowd with a gracious bow."
"In many films, a princess faces trials before discovering her destiny."
"She wore a sapphire tiara fit for a princess."
"The charity gala featured a princess-themed cocktail menu."
Princess derives from Middle English princess, which itself comes from Old French princesse, the feminine form of prince. The French term ultimately traces to Latin princeps, meaning ‘first, chief, ruler,’ from primus ‘first’ and capere ‘to seize, take.’ In medieval Europe, the word evolved from referring to a male sovereign’s heir to capturing broader feminine royalty. By the 13th century, English usage included princess as a title for a queen’s daughter and as a general noun for noblewomen, with semantic shifts toward both status and endearment. Over centuries, princess has maintained ceremonial and literary weight, often paired with associations of grace, virtue, and romance, while also appearing in modern branding and fictional worlds to signify aspirational female leadership. First known usage in English appears in the 13th–14th centuries in translations of French courtly terms, cementing its gendered royal connotation.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Princess" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Princess" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Princess"
-ses sounds
-ces sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Pronounce as PRIN-ses with primary stress on the first syllable. IPA: US /ˈprɪn.sɛs/, UK /ˈprɪn.ses/; final s is /s/. Start with a short, crisp /pr/ blend, then a short /ɪ/ vowel, a clear /n/ closure, and finish with /s/ followed by a lightly reduced /ə/ or /ɛ/ depending on accent. Imagine saying 'PRIN' like 'print' without t, then 'sess' with a short e. Audio references: consult pronunciation resources or native speaker clips for subtle vowel length.”,
Common errors include elongating the first vowel (/ˈpriː.nəs/ or /ˈpres.ɪs/) and mispronouncing the ending as /ɪz/ or /əz/. Another pitfall is merging the two syllables too tightly (PRIN-sess vs. PRIN-sis). Correct by keeping the first syllable short /ɪ/ and ensuring the second syllable lands on /s/ with a crisp /s/ release. Practice with minimal pairs and controlled tempo to lock in the /ˈprɪn.sɛs/ pattern.”},{
US: /ˈprɪn.sɛs/ with less vowel rounding and a non-rhotic-ish tendency in careful speech. UK: /ˈprɪn.ses/ with a slightly longer second syllable and an /e/ vowel in British RP, sometimes more open /eɪ/ in some dialects. AU: typically /ˈprɪn.ses/ similar to US but with Australian vowel shifts, often a flatter diphthong in /ɪ/ and a shorter final /s/. Across all, the final /s/ remains clear; the main variation is vowel quality in /ɪ/ and /ɛ/.
The challenge lies in maintaining a crisp onset /pr/ cluster and short, clipped first vowel /ɪ/ while delivering a clear, affricate-like /s/ at the end. Some speakers mis-handle the /ɪ/ length or blend /n/ and /s/ too tightly, causing a muddled /n.s/ sequence. Focusing on the boundary between syllables and practicing with minimal pairs helps keep the stress crisp and the ending clean.”},{
No, the middle syllable is not silent. In standard forms, the word has three segments: /ˈprɪn/ and /s/ as the open onset of the second syllable, then the final /ɛs/ (or /ses/). The middle /n/ must be clearly articulated to avoid conflating the word into /ˈprɪsɛs/ or /ˈpren.ses/. In careful enunciation, you’ll hear a distinct /n/ bridging the onset of the second syllable and the coda /s/. Check native clips to feel the slight alveolar stop before the final /s/.”]},
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