The sovereign, ruler, or chief executive magistrate of a state or nation whose constitution is of the kind called “monarchical” is thus named if a man; if it be a woman, she is called “queen.” The word expresses the idea of one who rules singly over a whole people or has the highest executive power ; but the office may be either hereditary or elective, and the sovereignty of the king may or may not be absolute, according to the constitution of the country.
Black’s Law Online Dictionary
