royal

English

Alternative forms

• r. (abbreviation)
• roial, roiall, royall, royaler (obsolete)

Etymology

From Middle English royal, from Old French roial (Modern French royal), from Latin rēgālis, from rēx (“king”). Doublet of regal (“befitting a king”), real (“unit of currency”), ariary, and riyal. Cognate with Spanish real. Displaced native Old English cynelīċ.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈɹɔɪəl/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈɹɔɪ(ə)l/

• Audio (GA)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɔɪəl
• Hyphenation: roy‧al

Adjective

royal (comparative royaler or royaller, superlative royalest or royallest)

1. Of or relating to a monarch or his (or her) family.
   • 1909, Archibald Marshall [pseudonym; Arthur Hammond Marshall], “A Court Ball”, in The Squire’s Daughter, New York, N.Y.: Dodd, Mead and Company, published 1919, →OCLC, page 9:

     He tried to persuade Cicely to stay away from the ball-room for a fourth dance. […] But she said she must go back, and when they joined the crowd again her partner was haled off with a frightened look to the royal circle, […]

   • 2011, Marilyn Price, Grandma's Cookies, page 7:

     On the first Friday morning of his kingship he went into the kitchen and called for his royal chef.

2. Having the air or demeanour of a monarch; illustrious; magnanimous; of more than common size or excellence.
   • c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies  (First Folio), London: Isaac Iaggard, and Ed Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, , page 175, column 2:

     How doth that royal Merchant good Anthonio;

3. (nautical) In large sailing ships, of a mast right above the topgallant mast and its sails.

   royal mast;  royal sail

4. (boxing, military) Free-for-all, especially involving multiple combatants.
5. (informal) Used as an intensifier.

   a royal pain in the neck

6. (chess) Describing a piece which, if captured, results in loss of game.

   Maharajah and the Sepoys pits a single royal amazon for white against a standard chess army for black.

Synonyms

• (of a monarch): kingly (of a king), monarchical, princely (of a prince), queenly (of a queen), regal, roy (obsolete)
• (having a monarch's air): majestic, regal, stately
• (informal intensifier): major

Derived terms

Related terms

• real (“unit of currency”)
• realm

Translations

Noun

royal (plural royals)

1. (somewhat informal, often capitalised) A royal person; a member of a royal family.
   • 2022 September 21, Philip Haigh, “Comment: Her Majesty's final journey”, in RAIL, number 966, page 3:

     Andy noted in RAIL 462: "The Royals are bound to have a great say in the decoration of the train and it speaks volumes for their regard for it that there are so many portraits of previous Royal Trains and items presented on trips. I sense they're extremely fond of it."

2. (paper, printing) A standard size of printing paper, measuring 25 by 20 inches.
3. (paper) A standard size of writing paper, measuring 24 by 19 inches.
4. (dated) The Australian decimal currency intended to replace the pound in 1966; was changed to "dollar" before it was actually circulated.
5. Any of various lycaenid butterflies.
6. The fourth tine of an antler's beam.
7. A stag with twelve points (six on each antler).
8. (nautical, sailing) In large sailing ships, square sail over the topgallant sail.
   • 1840, R[ichard] H[enry] D[ana], Jr., “CHAPTER XXXV”, in Two Years before the Mast.  (Harper’s Family Library; no. CVI), New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers , →OCLC:

     in ten days after we spoke the Solon, so rapid was his recovery, that, from lying helpless and almost hopeless in his berth, he was at the mast-heId, furling a royal.

9. An old English gold coin, the rial.
10. (military) A small mortar.
11. (card games) In auction bridge, a royal spade.
12. A tuft of beard on the lower lip.

    Synonym: imperial

13. (campanology) Bell changes rung on ten bells.

Translations

See also

Anagrams

• Aylor, aroyl, orlay

Dutch

Pronunciation

• audio

  (file)

• Hyphenation: ro‧yal

Noun

royal m or f (plural royals, diminutive )

1. royal

French

Etymology

Inherited from Middle French roial, from Old French roial, from earlier reial, real, from very early Old French (c. 880) regiel, from Latin rēgālis, from rēx (“king”) + -ālis. Equivalent to roi +‎ -al.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʁwa.jal/

• Audio (France, Paris)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -al
• Homophones: royale, royales

Adjective

royal (feminine royale, masculine plural royaux, feminine plural royales)

1. royal

Derived terms

Related terms

• reine
• roi
• royaume

Descendants

• → Belarusian: рая́ль (rajálʹ)
• → Bulgarian: роя́л (rojál)
• → Lithuanian: rojalis
• → Russian: роя́ль (rojálʹ)
• → Ukrainian: роя́ль (rojálʹ)

Further reading

• “royal”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé , 2012.

German

Etymology

From French royal, from Latin regalis. Occasionally attested in the 19th century and perhaps earlier. More regular use dates from the latter half of the 20th century, reinforced by English royal; compare die Royals (“the British royal family”). The derivatives Royalist, Royalismus are older in German.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /rɔˈjaːl/, ,

• Audio

  (file)

Adjective

royal (strong nominative masculine singular royaler, comparative royaler, superlative am royalsten)

1. royal

   Synonyms: königlich, majestätisch

Declension

Related terms

• Royalist
• Royalismus

Indonesian

Etymology

From Dutch royaal (“royal”), from Old French roial (Modern French royal), from Latin rēgālis, from rēx (“king”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key):
• Hyphenation: ro‧yal

Adjective

royal

1. (figurative) extravagant, lavish.

Derived terms

Further reading

• “royal” in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia, Jakarta: Language Development and Fostering Agency — Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic Indonesia, 2016.

Middle English

Alternative forms

• roial, roiall, royall, royalle, roialle, roall

Etymology

From Old French roial, from Latin rēgālis. Doublet of ryal.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈrɔi̯al/

Adjective

royal (plural and weak singular royalle, comparative royaller, superlative royallyst) (Late Middle English)

1. royal, of a king,
2. kinglike, reminiscent of a king
3. majestic, appropriate for a king, kingly
4. opulent, expensive, fine
5. noble, princely

Related terms

• royalte

Descendants

• English: royal
• Scots: royal

References

• “roial, adj.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-04-10.

Noun

royal (Late Middle English)

1. A royal; a member of royalty.
2. A noble; a member of nobility.

Descendants

• English: royal

References

• “roial, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-04-10.

Adverb

royal (Late Middle English)

1. wonderfully

References

• “roial, adv.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-04-09.

Middle French

Alternative forms

• roial, real

Etymology

From Old French roial, from Latin rēgālem.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /rwɛˈjal/

Adjective

royal m (feminine singular royale, masculine plural royaulx, feminine plural royales)

1. royal (of or relating to a monarch or their family)

Descendants

• French: royal

Spanish

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -al
• Syllabification: ro‧yal

Noun

royal m or f by sense (plural royales)

1. royal (member of the British royal family)
2. (Chile) baking powder (dry leavening agent used in baking)

Further reading

• “royal”, in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014