1
a
: of kingly ancestry
the royal family
b
: of, relating to, or subject to the crown
the royal estates
c
: being in the crown's service
Royal Air Force
2
a
: suitable for royalty : magnificent
b
: requiring no exertion : easy
there is no royal road to logic—
Justus Buchler
Justus Buchler3
a
: of superior size, magnitude, or quality
a patronage of royal dimensions—J. H. Plumb
—often used as an intensiveJ. H. Plumba royal pain
b
: established or chartered by the crown
4
: of, relating to, or being a part (such as a mast, sail, or yard) next above the topgallant
1
: a person of royal blood
2
: a small sail on the royal mast immediately above the topgallant sail
3
: a stag of 8 years or more having antlers with at least 12 points
Examples of royal in a Sentence
Adjective
They received a royal welcome as they stepped off the plane.
the school superintendent received a royal welcome
Noun
magazine stories about the private lives of royals
Recent Examples on the Web
Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 29 May 2025
After the allegations, Andrew resigned from his public roles with the royal family in May 2020, and had his honorary military affiliations and royal charitable patronages removed by his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, in January 2022.
—Jason Pham, StyleCaster, 28 May 2025
Amelia Mularz, Architectural Digest, 28 May 2025
The royals made an official visit to Ottawa, Ontario, marking their first visit to Canada since 2022.
—Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for royal
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.
Adjective
The name is inspired by the Spanish royal family’s practice of gifting pairs of merino sheep to other monarchs to honor its relationships.
—Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 29 May 2025
After the allegations, Andrew resigned from his public roles with the royal family in May 2020, and had his honorary military affiliations and royal charitable patronages removed by his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, in January 2022.
—Jason Pham, StyleCaster, 28 May 2025
Noun
Hawaii’s capital is home to the Honolulu Museum of Art, with a permanent collection of more than 60,000 pieces, and the Iolani Palace, a 19th-century royal home that’s open to the public for tours.
—Amelia Mularz, Architectural Digest, 28 May 2025
The royals made an official visit to Ottawa, Ontario, marking their first visit to Canada since 2022.
—Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for royal
Cite this Entry
“Royal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/royal. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share