riyal

1 of 2

noun (1)

ri·​yal rē-ˈyäl How to pronounce riyal (audio)
-ˈyal
variants or less commonly rial
the basic monetary unit of Qatar and Saudi Arabia see Money Table

riyal

2 of 2

noun (2)

ri·​yal

less common spelling of rial

the basic monetary unit of Iran, Oman, and Yemen see Money Table

Examples of riyal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
In little over 12 months, tens of millions of Saudi riyals had been poured into the project. James Montague, New York Times, 18 May 2025 But Dar Al Arkan’s shares continued to crumble, reaching a low of 4.3 Saudi riyals ($1.15) per share in February 2016—92% below their IPO price. Giacomo Tognini, Forbes.com, 17 May 2025 National currencies have lost most of their value: the Yemeni riyal has lost 80 percent of its value since 2014. Maha Yahya, Foreign Affairs, 17 Feb. 2025 The film, set against the backdrop of modern-day Riyadh, centers on two paramedics who stumble upon a briefcase containing 2 million riyals. Nancy Tartaglione, Deadline, 4 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for riyal

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Arabic riyāl, from Spanish real real

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1856, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of riyal was in 1856

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Riyal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/riyal. Accessed 26 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

riyal

noun
ri·​yal
rē-ˈyäl
1
: the basic unit of money of Qatar and Saudi Arabia
2
: a bill representing one riyal

More from Merriam-Webster on riyal

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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