royal

1 of 2

adjective

roy·​al ˈrȯi(-ə)l How to pronounce royal (audio)
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 logicJustus Buchler
3
a
: of superior size, magnitude, or quality
a patronage of royal dimensionsJ. H. Plumb
often used as an intensive
a 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

royal

2 of 2

noun

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
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
When Italy became a unified country in 1861, the royal family of Savoy became its rulers, and Turin—not Rome—became the country’s first capital. Laura Itzkowitz, Travel + Leisure, 22 Feb. 2025 When William and Kate were given their new royal titles, those close to the couple underscored their commitment to Wales and its people. Janine Henni, People.com, 20 Feb. 2025
Noun
But two years after her fairy-tale wedding to Harry at Windsor Castle, the couple infamously decided to step down as senior royals and eventually settled in Montecito, California. Brie Stimson, Fox News, 23 Feb. 2025 The royal’s first LFW look—a silky dressing-gown style dress by Bellville Sassoon—showed a bright twenty-something whose eyes lit up at clothing rails, according to her stylist Anna Harvey. Alice Newbold, Vogue, 22 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for royal

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English roial, from Anglo-French real, roial, from Latin regalis, from reg-, rex king; akin to Old Irish (genitive rīg) king, Sanskrit rājan, Latin regere to rule — more at right

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of royal was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Royal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/royal. Accessed 2 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

royal

adjective
roy·​al
ˈrȯi(-ə)l
1
: of or relating to a sovereign : regal
2
: fit for a king or queen
a royal welcome
royally
ˈrȯi-ə-lē
adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on royal

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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