royal

A2 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˈɹɔɪ(.ə)l/ UK /ˈɹɔɪ.əl/ See IPA manual

Freq #1961

Meanings

1

adj
Belonging to or connected with a king, queen, or their family.

The royal family appeared on the palace balcony.
2

adj
Having the rank of a king or queen.

She is of royal descent.
3

adj
Grand or splendid, like something fit for a monarch.

They gave us a royal welcome when we arrived.
4

adj
Used to make a complaint stronger; complete or utter.

That meeting was a royal waste of time.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · belonging to or connected... regal kingly

3 adj · grand or splendid, like... majestic stately

More major

Word family

Forms royalerroyalestroyallyroyals

Derived forms antiroyalbattle-royalhalf-royalimperial-royalnon-royalnonroyalroyaletroyaliseroyalismroyalistroyalisticroyalistical

Related forms real realm

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

royal family
the monarch and the people closely related to them

Adjective + noun

Simplified etymology

Royal ultimately comes from Latin regere, “to rule,” the same root that produced rule and regency.

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.

*h₃reǵ- Proto-Indo-European royal Middle English roial Old French rēgālis Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities

External links

# royal

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A2
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ˈɹɔɪ(.ə)l/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈɹɔɪ.əl/
**Frequency rank:** 1961

## Meanings
1. Belonging to or connected with a king, queen, or their family.
2. Having the rank of a king or queen.
3. Grand or splendid, like something fit for a monarch.
4. Used to make a complaint stronger; complete or utter.

## Examples
- The royal family appeared on the palace balcony.
- She is of royal descent.
- They gave us a royal welcome when we arrived.
- That meeting was a royal waste of time.

## Synonyms
- major

## Derived Forms
- antiroyal
- battle-royal
- half-royal
- imperial-royal
- non-royal
- nonroyal
- royalet
- royalise
- royalism
- royalist
- royalistic
- royalistical

## Related Forms
- real
- realm

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *h₃reǵ-
- Root: royal
- Root: roial
- Root: rēgālis

## 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.

## AI Etymology
Royal comes 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. Modern senses include belonging to or connected with a king, queen, or their family. and having the rank of a king or queen.. The wider word family includes derivatives such as antiroyal, battle-royal, half-royal, imperial-royal, non-royal, and nonroyal and related forms such as real and realm.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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