princely

American  

[prins-lee] / ˈprɪns li /

adjective

princelier, princeliest

1. greatly liberal; lavish; magnificent.

   a princely entertainment.

2. like or befitting a prince; magnificent.

   princely manners.

3. of or relating to a prince; royal; noble.

   princely blood.

4. that is a prince.

   his princely self.

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princely British  

/ ˈprɪnslɪ /

adjective

1. generous or lavish

2. of, belonging to, or characteristic of a prince

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adverb

1. in a princely manner

Other Word Forms

• princeliness noun
• pseudoprincely adverb
• unprincely adjective

Etymology

Origin of princely

First recorded in 1490–1500; prince + -ly

Explanation

Something princely is controlled by or suits a prince, like a princely territory or a princely velvet cape. If a prince (a male royal, often the son of a king or queen) rules certain areas, they are princely territories. And if a prince wears certain clothes, you could say he sports a princely outfit. You can also use this adjective to mean "fancy" or "opulent," so you might describe the princely furnishings in your elegant hotel room or the princely offerings on the menu at a four-star restaurant.

Example Sentences

What quickly became nonnegotiable was the fact that no princely state could go rogue and assert its own independence.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 30, 2026

Once part of the erstwhile princely state of Mysore, it was known as "garden city" or a "pensioner's paradise".

From Barron's • Nov. 27, 2025

His princely ambitions are hardly new revelations; the signs are everywhere.

From Salon • Oct. 7, 2025

The text becomes a straitjacket for a princely son who doesn’t seem accustomed to Shakespearean rigors.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 6, 2025

In those days, an extra eighty cents a week was a princely sum.

From "Jacob Have I Loved" by Katherine Paterson