queen
UK[kwiːn]US[kwiːn]
n
a female ruler of an independent state, especially one who inherits the position by right of birth
n
the wife or widow of a king
n
the most powerful piece in the game of chess, able to move any number of squares in any direction
n
a woman or thing regarded as the best or most important of her or its kind
v
(of a woman) act in a way that suggests she is the most important or dominant person
v
(in chess) convert (a pawn) into a queen when it reaches the opponent's back rank
Etymology
The word 'queen' originates from the Old English 'cwēn', meaning "woman, wife, consort, queen." This term is of Germanic origin, related to Old Saxon 'quān', Old Norse 'kvæn', and Gothic 'qēns', all sharing the core sense of "wife" or "woman." It is ultimately traceable to the Proto-Indo-European root gʷḗn, meaning "woman," which also gave rise to Greek 'gunē' (as in 'gynecology') and, via a different branch, Old English 'cwene' (woman, female serf). The semantic journey from the general PIE concept of "woman" to the specific, elevated status of a female monarch in English reflects a process of semantic narrowing and specialization within the Germanic languages.
Analysis
The modern English word 'queen' is a simplex word derived from a single, indivisible Old English root.
Examples
Queen Elizabeth II reigned for over seventy years.
The chess player sacrificed a rook to protect the queen.
She was crowned queen of the annual festival.