regalia
Americanplural noun
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regalias
plural
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the ensigns or emblems of royalty, as the crown or scepter.
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the decorations, insignia, or ceremonial clothes of any office or order.
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rich, fancy, or dressy clothing; finery.
guests wearing formal party regalia.
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royal rights or privileges.
plural noun
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the ceremonial emblems or robes of royalty, high office, an order, etc
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any splendid or special clothes; finery
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of regalia
1530–40; < Medieval Latin rēgālia things pertaining to a king, noun use of neuter plural of Latin rēgālis regal 1
Explanation
Regalia is clothing worn for formal functions by people who will be in the public eye. If you see Miss America at the grocery store, you might not recognize her because she's not wearing her pageant regalia. Regalia looks like regal and in fact, can refer to things owned by members of royalty that convey their official positions. Crowns, sashes, scepters, tiaras? Regalia. The prince's riding boots and the duchess's bath robes? Nope. Technically, regalia is a plural word, from Latin (the singular would be regalis) but it can be used with a singular or plural verb: Here is Queen Elizabeth's regalia. Her regalia are exquisite.
Vocabulary lists containing regalia
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
He pushes past marching bands with their instruments held high and parade spectators decked out in red, white and blue regalia.
From Salon ● Jul. 4, 2026
The rising modern Japanese war machine recycled classical military symbols from samurai culture while adopting European military technology and regalia.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 7, 2026
Here and elsewhere, Ms. Chan brings artists and their audience to life in a few telling lines, and discerns music-sharing motivations in brushstrokes, embroidery and regalia.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 23, 2026
The Shree Muktajeevan Swamibapa Pipe Band which played it calls itself an "international Indian Pipe Band" that performs a mix of Indian and Scottish tunes while wearing complete Scottish regalia.
From BBC ● Dec. 30, 2025
Papa had a photo of Grandfather, in the full regalia of the Knights of St. John, framed in deep mahogany and hung on our wall back in Enugu.
From "Purple Hibiscus" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Wolfenden groaned inwardly, for his regalias were priceless and not to be replaced; but he said nothing.
From Mysterious Mr. Sabin by E. Phillips (Edward Phillips) Oppenheim
Then a further line of big-handed, white-gloved men in beavers and regalias; for he had been also a Freemason and an Odd-fellow.
From Dr. Sevier by George Washington Cable
The Ilsenbergh salon was much frequented; the prevailing tone was by no means formal; smoking was allowed in the drawing-room--nay the countess herself smoked: to be precise she smoked regalias.
From Our Own Set A Novel by Ossip Schubin
"Certainly; you shall have one of my best regalias."
From Jack Harkaway's Boy Tinker Among The Turks Book Number Fifteen in the Jack Harkaway Series by Bracebridge Hemyng
When the men return to the mesa they remove their regalias and proceed to drink of the snake medicine which acts as an emetic.
From Arizona Sketches by J. A. (Joseph Amasa) Munk
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
