# regal

/ˈɹiɡəɫ/ (US) · /ɹˈiːɡəl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/regal
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. suitable for royalty

adjective · CEFR C1 · Formal

looking or acting like a king or queen; very impressive and grand.

For teachers: of, pertaining to, or befitting a monarch; characterized by majestic or royal dignity.

- The actress walked into the room with a regal grace that silenced everyone.
- The palace was decorated in a regal style, featuring deep purple silks and gold leaf that reflected the dynasty's historical wealth.

### 2. a portable organ

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a small, portable keyboard instrument from the 1500s and 1600s that makes a sharp sound.

For teachers: a small, portable reed organ from the 16th and 17th centuries, characterized by brass beating reeds without amplifying resonators.

- The musician played a regal during the performance of the old church music.
- The ensemble utilized a reconstructed 17th-century regal to achieve the authentic, buzzy timbre required for the early Baroque composition.

### 3. an organ stop

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a specific setting on a large pipe organ that makes a sound like a reed instrument.

For teachers: an organ stop belonging to the reed family, featuring a resonator that is significantly shorter than its natural length.

- The organist pulled out the regal stop to change the tone of the music.
- Modern pipe organs occasionally include a regal stop to mimic the distinctive, nasal quality of historical reed instruments.

## Examples

- She walked into the room with a regal posture.
- The actress gave a regal performance, capturing the grace and authority of the historical queen she portrayed.
- The symphony opened with a regal brass fanfare that immediately established a sense of historical importance and architectural grandeur within the concert hall.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.