royalty
- 01 B1 Intermediate
members of a royal family, such as kings, queens, princes, and princesses.
individuals of royal rank or lineage, collectively considered as a social group.
Simple“The local crowds gathered at the palace gates to catch a glimpse of royalty.”
In context“The wedding was attended by European royalty and various heads of state, making it the most significant diplomatic event of the decade.”
SynonymsAntonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
money paid to an author, musician, or inventor for every copy of their work sold.
a payment made to a creator or owner for the ongoing use of their intellectual property, typically calculated as a percentage of sales.
Simple“The singer still earns a lot of money in royalties every time her song is played on the radio.”
In context“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.”
Usageusually used in the plural form 'royalties' when referring to the money received.
Synonyms - 03 C1 Advanced
money paid to a landowner for the right to take oil, gas, or minerals from their land.
a payment made by a mining or oil company to the owner of the land or mineral rights for the extraction of natural resources.
Simple“The government receives a royalty for every barrel of oil extracted from the sea floor.”
In context“Negotiations stalled over the specific royalty rates for the new lithium mine, with the local community demanding a larger share of the profits.”
Synonymsextraction fee - 04 B2 Upper Intermediate
the power, rank, or position of being a king or queen.
the state, rank, or dignity of a monarch; the abstract quality of being royal.
Simple“The crown is a symbol of the royalty and history of the nation.”
In context“In his speech, the historian explored how the concept of royalty has evolved from absolute power to a largely ceremonial role.”
Synonyms - 05 C2 Proficiency
a starting hand in a card game that consists of a king and a queen.
a specific starting hand in Texas hold 'em poker consisting of a king and a queen of any suit.
Simple“He decided to play the hand because he was dealt royalty.”
In context“While royalty looks impressive in the hole, many professional players treat a king and queen with caution against a tight opponent.”
Synonyms
From Middle English royaltee, roialtee, royalte, from Old French roialté, roiauté, realté (compare earlier Old French realted (“realm, kingdom”)), from Vulgar Latin *rēgālitās, from Latin rēgālis, equivalent to royal + -ty. Doublet of regality.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.