regalia
Americanplural noun
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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
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
The Odyssey
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Cemetery Boys
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Beowulf
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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.
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
When the Allies occupied defeated Germany, they systematically removed the symbols and regalia of Nazi rule, as at the Nazi Party’s rallying grounds at Nuremberg.
From Salon • Feb. 28, 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
The items included royal regalia, drums and ceremonial gold weights.
From Barron's • Nov. 10, 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
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.
