royal

Alternative forms

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

Etymology

Borrowed from Old French roial (Modern French royal), from Latin rēgālis, from rēx (“king”). Doublet of regal (“befitting a king”) and real (“unit of currency”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɹɔɪəl/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɔɪəl

Adjective

royal (comparative more royal, superlative most royal)

1. Of or relating to a monarch or their family.
   • 1909, Archibald Marshall [pseudonym; Arthur Hammond Marshall], chapter I, in The Squire’s Daughter, London: Methuen, OCLC 12026604; republished New York, N.Y.: Dodd, Mead and Company, 1919, OCLC 491297620:

     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.
   • William Shakespeare (c.1564–1616)

     How doth that royal merchant, good Antonio?

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

Noun

royal (plural royals)

1. A royal person; a member of a royal family.
2. (paper, printing) A standard size of printing paper, measuring 25 by 20 inches.
3. (dated) The Australian decimal currency intended to replace the pound in 1966; was changed to "dollar" before it was actually circulated.
4. The fourth tine of an antler's beam.
5. A stag with twelve points (six on each antler).
6. (nautical, sailing) In large sailing ships, square sail over the topgallant sail.
7. An old English gold coin, the rial.
8. (military) A small mortar.
9. (card games) In auction bridge, a royal spade.

See also

Anagrams

• Aylor, aroyl, orlay

Etymology

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 singular royale, masculine plural royaux, feminine plural royales)

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

Further reading

• “royal” in le Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

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 (comparative royaler, superlative royallyst)

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

Noun

royal

1. (Late ME) A royal; a member of royalty.
2. (Late ME) A noble; a member of nobility.

Adverb

royal

1. (Late ME) wonderfully

Etymology

Variant spelling of roial.

Adjective

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

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

Noun

royal m, f (plural royales)

1. royal (member of the British royal family)