Origin: Latin suffix -al
Royal has 14 different meanings across 3 categories:
Noun · Adjective · Proper Noun
a sail set next above the topgallant on a royal mast
"The ship's captain ordered the crew to reef the royal before the storm hit, knowing it was the highest sail they could safely carry."
stag with antlers of 12 or more branches
"The king's hunting party celebrated after bagging a magnificent royal bull that boasted eighteen branching antlers."
A royal person; a member of a royal family.
"The royal soldiers marched at the front of the battalion during the parade."
someone connected with Reading Football Club, as a fan, player, coach etc.
A member of the first regiment of foot in the British army.
In plain English: A royal is a person who belongs to a king's or queen's family and holds a high position of power.
"The royal was served at the head of the table during the state banquet."
of or relating to or indicative of or issued or performed by a king or queen or other monarch
"the royal party"
"the royal crest"
"by royal decree"
"a royal visit"
Of or relating to a monarch or their family.
"The announcement from the Royal Mail confirmed that their new delivery network will reach every corner of the country by next month."
Alternative form of royal (in capitalised proper nouns, e.g. Royal Navy, Royal Mail)
In plain English: Royal means belonging to a king, queen, or other high-ranking member of a royal family.
"The royal family visited the castle yesterday to meet with local schoolchildren."
Usage: Use royal when describing things belonging to, associated with, or characteristic of a reigning king or queen and their immediate family members. This term often distinguishes official state functions from those held by other high-ranking nobility who may hold titles like prince but lack the sovereign authority.
A surname, from Old English.
"My neighbor named his son Royal after hearing about how much we admired the king's generosity."
A male given name from the word "royal".
The word royal comes from the Latin rex, meaning "king," and entered Middle English via Old French. It eventually replaced the native Old English term cynelīċ to describe things befitting a monarch.