# royal

/ˈɹɔɪəɫ/ (US) · /ɹˈɔɪəl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/royal
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. related to a monarch

adjective · CEFR B1

connected with a king, queen, or their family.

For teachers: of or relating to a monarch, their family, or the institution of the monarchy.

- The royal family waved to the crowds from the balcony of the palace.
- The royal prerogative allows the monarch to exercise certain powers without the requirement of parliamentary consent.

### 2. impressive or grand

adjective · CEFR B2

having the grand or impressive appearance of a king or queen.

For teachers: possessing the demeanour or status of a monarch; illustrious or magnificent in scale.

- The guests received a royal welcome with a red carpet and live music.
- The estate was maintained with royal excellence, featuring gardens that rivalled those of the national botanical society.

### 3. intensifier

adjective · CEFR B2 · Informal

used to emphasize how big, complete, or annoying something is.

For teachers: used as an intensifier to emphasize the degree of a quality, typically a negative one.

- The whole situation was a royal pain from start to finish.
- The project turned into a royal mess after the lead developer resigned without leaving any documentation.

### 4. a member of the family

noun · CEFR B1 · Informal

a member of a king or queen's family.

For teachers: a member of a royal family; often used as a collective plural in media contexts.

- The royals are expected to attend the charity event this evening.
- Public interest in the private lives of the royals remains a significant driver of tabloid sales in the United Kingdom.

### 5. nautical/sailing

adjective · CEFR C2 · Technical

related to a specific small sail high up on a large ship.

For teachers: denoting a mast or sail located immediately above the topgallant mast.

- The sailors climbed high into the rigging to set the royal sail.
- As the wind increased, the captain ordered the crew to furl the royals to prevent the masts from straining under the pressure.

### 6. paper size

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a specific large size of paper used for printing or writing.

For teachers: a standard size of printing paper (25 by 20 inches) or writing paper (24 by 19 inches).

- The artist requested a sheet of royal paper for the large charcoal drawing.
- The manuscript was printed on high-quality royal stock to ensure the illustrations were reproduced with maximum clarity.

## Examples

- The royals are visiting the hospital today.
- The local newspaper followed every move of the visiting royal during her tour of the city.
- While the constitutional powers of the monarchy are limited, the public remains fascinated by the private lives of every royal within the immediate line of succession.

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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.