Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

regnal

American  
[reg-nl] / ˈrɛg nl /

adjective

  1. of or relating to a sovereign, sovereignty, or reign.

    the second regnal year of Louis XIV.


regnal British  
/ ˈrɛɡnəl /

adjective

  1. of a sovereign, reign, or kingdom

  2. designating a year of a sovereign's reign calculated from the date of his or her accession

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of regnal

1605–15; < Medieval Latin rēgnālis, equivalent to Latin rēgn ( um ) rule, kingdom + -ālis -al 1; reign

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.

Centuries ago, Swedish kings based their regnal numbers on a list of sovereigns that was partly made up.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 14, 2023

Tomorrow is the coronation of King Charles III, which I’ve come to understand as a sort of regnal equivalent of a bar mitzvah ceremony.

From New York Times • May 5, 2023

George VI was of course christened Albert, at least in part to mollify Queen Victoria, but went with tradition when suddenly obliged to choose a regnal name.

From BBC • Jul. 24, 2013

It wasn’t until the end of Marcellus II’s reign, in May 1555, that choosing a regnal name became de rigueur.

From Newsweek • Mar. 13, 2013

But his successors introduced their own regnal reckonings; and that prevented it from acquiring permanence.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 13, Slice 4 "Hero" to "Hindu Chronology" by Various