royalty

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun

n. money paid to an author, musician, or inventor for every copy of their work sold.

n. a payment made to a creator or owner for the ongoing use of their intellectual property, typically calculated as a percentage of sales.

“The singer still earns a lot of money in royalties every time her song is played on the radio.”

“The contract stipulates that the author will receive a ten percent royalty on all hardcover sales, increasing to fifteen percent after the first five thousand copies.”

C1 · Advanced Countable noun Law Technical

n. money paid to a landowner for the right to take oil, gas, or minerals from their land.

n. a payment made by a mining or oil company to the owner of the land or mineral rights for the extraction of natural resources.

“The government receives a royalty for every barrel of oil extracted from the sea floor.”

“Negotiations stalled over the specific royalty rates for the new lithium mine, with the local community demanding a larger share of the profits.”

B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun Formal

n. the power, rank, or position of being a king or queen.

n. the state, rank, or dignity of a monarch; the abstract quality of being royal.

“The crown is a symbol of the royalty and history of the nation.”

“In his speech, the historian explored how the concept of royalty has evolved from absolute power to a largely ceremonial role.”

C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Sports Slang · Informal

n. a starting hand in a card game that consists of a king and a queen.

n. a specific starting hand in Texas hold 'em poker consisting of a king and a queen of any suit.

“He decided to play the hand because he was dealt royalty.”

“While royalty looks impressive in the hole, many professional players treat a king and queen with caution against a tight opponent.”