I. ˈrȯi(ə)l, ˈrȯ(i)yəl adjective
Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin regalis of a king, royal, regal, from reg-, rex king + -alis -al; akin to Sanskrit rājan king, Old Irish rī (gen. rīg ), Latin regere to guide, rule — more at right
1.
a. : of kingly ancestry : belonging to royalty
English princes of the blood royal — Virginia Cowles
b. : of, relating to, owned by, or subject to the jurisdiction of the crown
the limitation of royal power under a constitutional monarchy
a special train for the queen and members of the royal party
the prince and his bride honeymooned on the royal yacht
courts had been effectively centralized under royal control — C.H.McIlwain
c. : indicative of royalty
royal title
royal crown
royal crest
d. : reserved for the sovereign : not to be hunted or captured without a license from the crown
giraffes rank as royal game — L.G.Green
e. : being in the crown's service
royal prosecutor
Royal Air Force
2.
a. : of a nobility or splendor worthy of royalty : magnificent , regal
there is something … royal in the stately carriage of a stag's head — R.F.Kilvert
was treated with the royal acclaim of a visiting statesman — W.A.White
coffee royal … with brandy or whiskey mixed up in it — J.W.Ellison b.1929
b. archaic : limited to a chosen few : elite
the royal dynasty of the apostles — J.H.Newman
c. : requiring no exertion : marked by special privilege : easy
there is no royal road to logic and really valuable ideas can only be had at the price of close attention — Justus Buchler
3.
a. : having attributes of royalty : majestic
the lion is a royal beast
b. : of great size or magnitude : big , imposing
wielded a patronage of royal dimensions — J.H.Plumb
a battle royal that covers miles and lasts for hours — Arthur Knight
stop being such a royal pain in the neck — F.C.Thorne
c.
(1) : of superior quality : excellent , superb
a royal view
cow of royal breeding — American Guide Series: Minnesota
(2) : of a highly pleasurable kind : glorious
would have a royal time … sailing the wherry — Archibald Marshall
d. : playing the part of royalty
place the crowns on the royal pair … elected by popular campus vote — Springfield (Massachusetts) Daily News
4.
a. : established or chartered by the crown : enjoying the king's patronage
Royal Academy
the Royal Burghs of Scotland
Massachusetts was once a royal colony
Royal Swedish Yacht Club
b. : granted or performed by the king
whatsoever she asked … Solomon gave her of his royal bounty — 1 Kings 10:13 (Authorized Version)
honored by several royal visits — T.B.Macaulay
5. : of, relating to, or being a part (as a mast, sail, or yard) next above the topgallant — see ship illustration
6. : resisting chemical action : noble
royal gases
royal metals
II. noun
( -s )
1.
a. : royal antler
b. : a stag of eight years or more having antlers with at least twelve points
2.
a. : ryal 1
b. : real IV
3. : a small sail on the royal mast that is the highest usually carried on a square-rigged ship and is located immediately above the topgallant sail — see sail illustration
4. : a royal personage
there are … titles for all spouses of royals — V.W.Turner
5. : a standard British size of paper usually 20 × 25 or 19 × 24 inches
6. : change ringing on ten bells
7.
a. : a blue or green crown used as the symbol for the fifth suit in some five-suit packs of playing cards
b. : royal flush
c. : royal spade
8. or royal blue
a. : a variable color averaging a vivid purplish blue
b. of textiles : a deep blue that is duller than Yale blue and redder and duller than imperial blue
c. : smalt 2
d. : prussian blue 2
9. : royal palm
mast-straight royals lining the avenue — C.S.Lloyd
10.
[translation of French royale ]
: royale 2