English Reference

Word

princely

Phoneticsprince·ly

US/ˈpɹɪnsɫi/

UK/pɹˈɪnsli/

Definition

adj. having a lot of money or power, like a king or a prince. You use this to describe someone who is very rich or someone who acts like a leader.

adj. possessing great wealth, power, or status; behaving in a manner befitting a monarch. Often used to describe a generous or high-handed attitude.

Examples

“He lived a princely life with many servants.”

“The king treated his guests with princely generosity, offering them gifts and a royal feast.”

“Despite his modest origins, he adopted a princely demeanor, treating everyone in his household with a level of formality that suggested a much higher social rank.”

Examples

simple

“He lived a princely life with many servants.”

contextual

“The king treated his guests with princely generosity, offering them gifts and a royal feast.”

complex

“Despite his modest origins, he adopted a princely demeanor, treating everyone in his household with a level of formality that suggested a much higher social rank.”

Real-World Examples

“Digvijaysinhji was born into one of the princely states’ most celebrated families in 1895.”
Smithsonian Magazine · 22 Jul 2026
“But for all its vintages and villas, this coast has not priced out its less princely fans.”
The Guardian · 29 Nov 2017

Etymology

From Middle English princely, pryncely, equivalent to prince + -ly (adjectival suffix). Compare Dutch prinselijk.

From prince + -ly (adverbial suffix).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Word family

princeNounprincelyAdjective

This entry

Level
C1 · Advanced
Frequency
Occasional
Updated

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English Reference