Royal

UK: /ˈrɔɪəl/ US: /ˈrɔɪəl/ ,(roi′əl)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

roy•al /ˈrɔɪəl/   adj. [before a noun]

1. Government of or relating to royalty:
   a royal prince.
2. Government fit for a king or queen;
   magnificent:
   a royal banquet.
3. Informal Terms extreme;
   completely so:
   He is a royal pain in the neck.

n. [countable]

4. Government, Informal Terms [Informal.] a royal person;
   member of the royalty.

roy•al•ly, adv. See -reg-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

roy•al  (roi′əl), adj. 

1. Government of or pertaining to a king, queen, or other sovereign:
   royal power; a royal palace.
2. Government descended from or related to a king or line of kings:
   a royal prince.
3. Government noting or having the rank of a king or queen.
4. Government established or chartered by or existing under the patronage of a sovereign:
   a royal society.
5. Government (cap.) serving or subject to a king, queen, or other sovereign.
6. Government proceeding from or performed by a sovereign:
   a royal warrant.
7. Government appropriate to or befitting a sovereign;
   magnificent;
   stately:
   royal splendor.
8. Government, British Terms (usually cap.) [Brit.] in the service of the monarch or of the Commonwealth:
   Royal Marines; Royal Air Force.
9. fine;
   excellent:
   in royal spirits.
10. Informal Terms extreme or persistent;
    unmitigated:
    a royal nuisance; a royal pain.

n. 

11. Nautical, Naval Terms a sail set on a royal mast. See diag. under ship. 
12. Government, Informal Terms [Informal.] a royal person;
    member of the royalty.
13. British Terms Usually, royals. [Chiefly Brit.] a member of England's royal family.
14. Printing a size of printing paper, 20 × 25 in. (51 × 64 cm).
15. Printing a size of writing paper, 19 × 24 in. (48 × 61 cm).
16. Currency [Numis.] any of various former coins, as the real or ryal.

• Latin rēgālis kingly, equivalent. to rēg- (stem of rēx) king + -ālis -al¹; compare regal
• Middle French
• Middle English 1325–75

roy′al•ly, adv. 
Synonyms

• 7. majestic. See kingly. 

Antonyms

• 7. servile.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

royal / ˈrɔɪəl/ adjective

1. of, relating to, or befitting a king, queen, or other monarch; regal
2. (prenominal; often capital) established, chartered by, under the patronage or in the service of royalty: the Royal Society of St George
3. being a member of a royal family
4. above the usual or normal in standing, size, quality, etc
5. unusually good or impressive; first-rate
6. just above the topgallant (in the phrase royal mast)

noun

1. (sometimes capital) a member of a royal family
2. Also called: royal stag a stag with antlers having 12 or more branches
3. a sail set next above the topgallant, on a royal mast
4. a size of printing paper, 20 by 25 inches

Etymology: 14th Century: from Old French roial, from Latin rēgālis, fit for a king, from rēx king; compare regal¹

ˈroyally adverb