princeling

noun

prince·​ling ˈprin(t)s-liŋ How to pronounce princeling (audio)
: a petty or insignificant prince

Examples of princeling in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Urie, a Drama Desk award winner, expertly plays the princeling as a well-meaning, but woefully awkward nerd who is hopelessly smitten from the moment Winnifred hauls herself onstage covered in leeches. EW.com, 13 Aug. 2024 Even princelings, including one of Deng’s sons, lost their elections. Cai Xia, Foreign Affairs, 6 Sep. 2022 But the antagonist is not so much a professional criminal as a corporate princeling who abuses his wealth and privilege. Patrick Frater, Variety, 31 Oct. 2023 If the trial of Bo Xilai, a princeling and former Politburo member in China, had been a TV drama, the closing credits for directing and scripting would have gone to the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, the Communist Party’s secret anti-corruption body. Pin Ho, Foreign Affairs, 19 Sep. 2013 See all Example Sentences for princeling 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'princeling.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1796, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of princeling was in 1796

Dictionary Entries Near princeling

Cite this Entry

“Princeling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/princeling. Accessed 30 Oct. 2024.

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