— princeless , adj. — princeship , n.
/prins/ , n.
1. a nonreigning male member of a royal family.
2. Hist. a sovereign or monarch; king.
3. (in Great Britain) a son or grandson (if the child of a son) of a king or queen.
4. the English equivalent of any of various titles of nobility in other countries.
5. a holder of such a title.
6. the ruler of a small state, as one actually or nominally subordinate to a suzerain: Monaco is ruled by a prince.
7. a person or thing that is chief or preeminent in any class, group, etc.: a merchant prince.
8. a person possessing admirably fine and genial characteristics: He is a prince of a man.
[ 1175-1225; ME princip- (s. of princeps ) first, principal (adj.), principal person, leader (n.), equiv. to prin- for primus PRIME + -cep- (comb. form of capere to take) + -s nom. sing. ending ]