fifth monarchy men: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2historical, academic, literary
Quick answer
What does “fifth monarchy men” mean?
A radical 17th-century Protestant millenarian sect who believed in the imminent second coming of Christ and the establishment of a 'fifth monarchy' succeeding the four empires of Daniel.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A radical 17th-century Protestant millenarian sect who believed in the imminent second coming of Christ and the establishment of a 'fifth monarchy' succeeding the four empires of Daniel.
The term now refers to historical enthusiasts, radical utopian visionaries, or anyone displaying an extreme, impractical millenarian zeal, often used pejoratively.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Both varieties use it solely as a historical reference. The term is more likely to be encountered in British historical texts due to the group's origin and primary activity in England.
Connotations
Historical naivety, religious extremism, political utopianism.
Frequency
Extremely rare in modern language outside specialized historical or political discourse.
Grammar
How to Use “fifth monarchy men” in a Sentence
The Fifth Monarchy Men [verb: believed, advocated, rose]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “fifth monarchy men” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- His fifth-monarchy-men mentality was dismissed by the committee.
American English
- She rejected his Fifth-Monarchy-Men-style proposals as pure fantasy.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
N/A
Academic
Used in historical, religious studies, and political science contexts discussing millenarianism, the English Civil War, or radical sects.
Everyday
Virtually never used. If used, it's a metaphorical insult for someone with wildly impractical, world-changing plans.
Technical
Specific term in historiography for a defined 17th-century group.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “fifth monarchy men”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “fifth monarchy men”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “fifth monarchy men”
- Incorrectly capitalizing all words (only 'Fifth Monarchy Men' is correct).
- Using it as a singular noun (*'a Fifth Monarchy Man' is rare and non-standard).
- Misspelling 'monarchy' as 'monarcy'.
- Confusing them with the Levellers or Diggers.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, while primarily a religious movement, some factions engaged in armed uprising, most notably Thomas Venner's failed revolt in London in 1661.
Based on the Book of Daniel, they were typically identified as the Assyrian/Babylonian, Persian, Greek, and Roman empires.
Rarely. It is almost always used pejoratively to label someone as an impractical, overly zealous, or fanatical idealist.
Always capitalized: 'Fifth Monarchy Men'. Hyphens are used when it functions as a compound modifier (e.g., Fifth-Monarchy-Men ideology).
A radical 17th-century Protestant millenarian sect who believed in the imminent second coming of Christ and the establishment of a 'fifth monarchy' succeeding the four empires of Daniel.
Fifth monarchy men is usually historical, academic, literary in register.
Fifth monarchy men: in British English it is pronounced /ˌfɪfθ ˈmɒnəki mɛn/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌfɪfθ ˈmɑːnərki mɛn/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: FIFTH place in a line of kingdoms (monarchies) + MEN who believed they were next. They were the 'next-in-line' radical believers.
Conceptual Metaphor
HISTORICAL FANATICISM IS A DATED BLUEPRINT; UTOPIAN IDEALISM IS A FAILED PROPHECY.
Practice
Quiz
The 'Fifth Monarchy Men' were primarily active during which period?