royal

American  

[roi-uhl] / ˈrɔɪ əl /

adjective

1. of or relating to a king, queen, or other sovereign.

   royal power; a royal palace.

2. descended from or related to a king or line of kings.

   a royal prince.

3. noting or having the rank of a king or queen.

4. established or chartered by or existing under the patronage of a sovereign.

   a royal society.

5. (initial capital letter) serving or subject to a king, queen, or other sovereign.

6. proceeding from or performed by a sovereign.

   a royal warrant.

7. appropriate to or befitting a sovereign; magnificent; stately.

   royal splendor.

   Synonyms:

   majestic

   Antonyms:

   servile

8. (usually initial capital letter) in the service of the monarch or of the Commonwealth.

   Royal Marines; Royal Air Force.

9. fine; excellent.

   in royal spirits.

10. Informal. extreme or persistent; unmitigated.

    a royal nuisance; a royal pain.

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noun

1. Nautical. a sail set on a royal mast.

2. Informal. a royal person; member of the royalty.

3. Chiefly British. Usually royals. a member of England's royal family.

4. a size of printing paper, 20 × 25 inches (51 × 64 centimeters).

5. a size of writing paper, 19 × 24 inches (48 × 61 centimeters).

6. Numismatics. any of various former coins, as the real or ryal.

royal British  

/ ˈrɔɪəl /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or befitting a king, queen, or other monarch; regal

2. (prenominal; often capital) established, chartered by, under the patronage or in the service of royalty

   the Royal Society of St George

3. being a member of a royal family

4. above the usual or normal in standing, size, quality, etc

5. informal unusually good or impressive; first-rate

6. nautical just above the topgallant (in the phrase royal mast )

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noun

1. informal (sometimes capital) a member of a royal family

2. Also called: royal stag.  a stag with antlers having 12 or more branches

3. nautical a sail set next above the topgallant, on a royal mast

4. a size of printing paper, 20 by 25 inches

5. Also called: small royal.  a size of writing paper, 19 by 24 inches

6. any of various book sizes, esp 6 1/ 4 by 10 inches ( royal octavo ), 6 3/ 4 by 10 1/ 4 inches ( super royal octavo ), and (chiefly Brit) 10 by 12 1/ 2 inches ( royal quarto ) and 10 1/ 4 by 13 1/ 2 inches ( super royal quarto )

Related Words

See kingly.

Other Word Forms

• antiroyal adjective
• nonroyal adjective
• nonroyally adverb
• preroyal adjective
• preroyally adverb
• pseudoroyal adjective
• pseudoroyally adverb
• quasi-royal adjective
• quasi-royally adverb
• royally adverb

Etymology

Origin of royal

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin rēgālis “kingly,” equivalent to rēg- (stem of rēx ) “king” + -ālis adjective suffix; regal ¹, -al ¹

Example Sentences

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced a royal commission, the country's most powerful form of independent inquiry, into last month's shooting at Bondi Beach.

From BBC

The same month, royal records show, British taxpayers picked up a bill for £57,000 for a chartered flight for the former prince to visit Kazakhstan on official business as trade envoy.

From BBC

His Cambodian nationality had been revoked by royal decree last month, it added.

From BBC

Members concluded the bid backed by tech billionaire Larry Ellison and Middle Eastern royal families was not in the best interest of the company or its shareholders.

From Los Angeles Times

A grandfather who died trying to rescue a mother and her teenage daughter in heavy seas in East Yorkshire is being considered for a royal bravery award, the BBC has learned.

From BBC

Related Words

• aristocratic
• dignified
• illustrious
• imperial
• magnificent
• noble
• stately