What does enthrone mean?
Enthrone is a formal verb meaning to install a person — most often a monarch, bishop, or other high dignitary — on a throne, usually as part of an elaborate ceremony marking their assumption of office. Beyond this literal sense, enthrone carries an important figurative meaning: to raise something to a position of supreme importance or devotion, as when critics say a society has enthroned profit above human welfare. The word derives from combining the prefix 'en-' with 'throne,' tracing back through Old French and Latin to the Greek 'thronos,' meaning a lofty seat. It appears frequently in accounts of coronations, episcopal installations, and state ceremonies, and is equally at home in political and cultural commentary, where its use often signals either reverence for the thing exalted or irony toward the values being elevated.
verbTo install a monarch or other dignitary on a throne, typically in a formal ceremony; more broadly, to place someone or something in a position of supreme importance, power, or honor.
- To install a monarch, bishop, or other dignitary on a throne in a formal ceremonial act, marking the assumption of office or rank.
- To place someone or something in a position of preeminent importance, honor, or devotion, often figuratively (e.g., 'a culture that enthrones wealth above all else').
"The archbishop enthroned the young king amid great ceremony in Westminster Abbey."
"The patriarch was enthroned at Hagia Sophia before an assembly of clergy and nobles."
"The movement effectively enthroned individual liberty as its highest ideal."
When a new Archbishop of Canterbury takes office, he isn't just appointed — he's literally enthroned, sitting down in his cathedral throne as a public act of taking up the role.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of enthrone
Enthrone entered English in the early 17th century, formed by combining the prefix 'en-' with 'throne.' The noun 'throne' itself comes from Old French 'trone,' borrowed from Latin 'thronus,' which derives from the Greek 'thronos' meaning a high seat or chair of state. Related forms include 'dethrone' (to remove from power) and the derivative noun 'enthronement,' denoting the ceremony itself.
Related word forms
How enthrone is actually used
Enthrone is formal and elevated in register. In religious contexts it refers specifically to the ceremonial installation of bishops, archbishops, and patriarchs. The figurative sense — elevating an idea, value, or person to supreme status — is common in political, cultural, and literary criticism and often carries a critical or ironic tone when describing values one disapproves of.
Easily confused with enthrone
Enthrone means to place on a throne or elevate to power, while dethrone means the opposite — to remove a ruler from power.
Enthral means to captivate or fascinate someone, whereas enthrone means to formally install in a position of power or honor.