Dictionary

Prince Charming en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

Calque of French Roi Charmant (“Charming King”).

Meanings

1. A fictional heroic prince in various fairy-tales.
   • No one could have helped being won by his smile and the truly royal manner in which he saluted the crowd in passing when he was in good humor. For this reason, the voice of the people, which is never mistaken, had christened him Prince Charming, and his name always clung to him. 1920, “King Bizarre And Prince Charming”, in Mary L. Booth, transl., Laboulaye's Fairy Book:
2. (broadly) A heterosexual woman's prototypical ideal romantic partner, especially but not necessarily if he embodies common characteristics of the fictional princes, such as being courageous or chivalrous.
   • She did not listen. She was free in her prison of passion. Her prince, Prince Charming, was with her. 1891, Oscar Wilde, chapter V, in The Picture of Dorian Gray, London; New York, N.Y.: Ward Lock & Co., →OCLC:
   • She's still unmarried because she is waiting for her Prince Charming... and he may not exist.
   • However, I’ll tell you this much . . . and if nothing comes of it you must never breathe a word about it to a living soul. You see, Prince Charming is coming to-night. 1909 September, L[ucy] M[aud] Montgomery, “The Prince Comes Back to the Enchanted Palace”, in Anne of Avonlea, Boston, Mass.: L[ouis] C[oues] Page & Company, →OCLC, pages 341–342:
   • There's always love for sale / A grown up fairy tale / Prince charming always smiles / Behind a silver spoon 1979, “Street Life”, Will Jennings (lyrics), performed by The Crusaders ft. Randy Crawford:
   • Friends say we app sceptics will download them at a certain age out of desperation. But for now, follow the sound advice of mums and mentors: there’s no rush, relationships don’t define you and you must keep your standards high. Just not Prince Charming high. Carrie Bradshaw will tell you that’s nothing but a fairytale. 2023 April 1, Maddie Thomas, “Even if you’re ‘on the apps’, it feels pretty hard to meet people these days”, in The Guardian:

Forms

Coordinates

Princess Charming

Relateds

Mister Right

Translations (65)

da prinsen på den hvide hest (romantically ideal man) · no eventyrprinsen (romantically ideal man) · sh princ na belom konju (romantically ideal man) · da prins på den hvide hest (fictional character) · fr prince charmant (romantically ideal man) · el γοητευτικός πρίγκιπας (fictional character) · it principe azzurro (fictional character) · fr prince charmant (fictional character) · ro Făt-Frumos (fictional character) · ca príncep blau (romantically ideal man) · no drømmeprins (fictional character) · rm prinzi da paraula (fictional character) · nl prins op het witte paard (romantically ideal man) · nl droomprins (romantically ideal man) · lt svajonių princas (fictional character) · hu szőke herceg (fictional character) · ko 백마 탄 왕자 (fictional character) · fi unelmien prinssi (fictional character) · vi bạch mã hoàng tử (romantically ideal man) · ru ска́зочный принц (romantically ideal man) · ru принц на белом коне (romantically ideal man) · eu printze xarmant (fictional character) · pl książę z bajki (fictional character) · ja プリンス・チャーミング (fictional character) · sh принц на белом коњу (romantically ideal man) · cmn 白馬王子 /白马王子 (fictional character) · el πριγκιπόπουλο (fictional character) · ar فارس الأحلام (romantically ideal man) · yue 如意郎君 (romantically ideal man) · es príncipe azul (romantically ideal man) · nl prins op het witte paard (fictional character) · it principe azzurro sul cavallo bianco (romantically ideal man) · fi unelmien prinssi (romantically ideal man) · ro Făt-Frumos (romantically ideal man) · ja 王子様 (fictional character) · pt príncipe encantado (romantically ideal man) · it principe azzurro (romantically ideal man) · el πρίγκιπας του παραμυθιού (romantically ideal man) · pt príncipe encantado (fictional character) · pl książę z bajki (romantically ideal man) · ru прекра́сный принц (romantically ideal man) · sv drömprins (fictional character) · yue 白馬王子 /白马王子 (romantically ideal man) · lv sapņu princis (fictional character) · el πρίγκιπας του παραμυθιού (fictional character) · ca príncep blau (fictional character) · sh princ na belom konju (fictional character) · sh принц на белом коњу (fictional character) · de Märchenprinz (romantically ideal man) · ca príncep encantador (romantically ideal man) · el πριγκιπόπουλο (romantically ideal man) · cmn 白馬王子 /白马王子 (romantically ideal man) · sv drömprins (romantically ideal man) · tr yakışıklı prens (romantically ideal man) · ar فتى الأحلام (romantically ideal man) · eo ĉarma princo (fictional character) · tr yakışıklı prens (fictional character) · sv prins charmig (romantically ideal man) · ja 王子様 (romantically ideal man) · fi satuprinssi (fictional character) · ca príncep encantador (fictional character) · cmn 如意郎君 (romantically ideal man) · ru прекра́сный принц (fictional character) · da drømmeprins (romantically ideal man) · es príncipe azul (fictional character)