queenship

queen ► NOUN 1) the female ruler of an independent state, especially one who inherits the position by right of birth. 2) (also queen consort) a king's wife. 3) the best or most important woman or thing in a sphere or group. 4) a playing card bearing a representation of a queen, ranking next below a king. 5) the most powerful chess piece, able to move in any direction. 6) a reproductive female in a colony of ants, bees, wasps, or termites. 7) informal a flamboyantly effeminate male homosexual.

► VERB 1) (queen it) (of a woman) act in an unpleasantly superior way. 2) Chess convert (a pawn) into a queen when it reaches the opponent's end of the board.

DERIVATIVES queendom noun queenly adjective queenship noun.

ORIGIN Old English.