royal
gb/ɹˈɔɪəl/ us/ɹˈɔɪəl/
A2
English
~ 700
Senses
0 senses
adjective
A2
property
1
Connected with a monarch
About a king, queen, or their family.
Usage pattern:
[royal] [title/event/building]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'royal' with 'regal', but 'regal' often describes appearance or manner, not direct connection to monarchy.
Synonyms
monarchical (More formal and technical term for relating to a monarchy.)
Antonyms
common (Refers to ordinary people, not members of royalty.)
Collocations
royal family
|royal palace
|royal wedding
|royal decree
|royal visit
Themes
politics
|history
|society
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The royal family attended the national celebration.
- A royal wedding attracts attention from around the world.
- The museum displayed royal artifacts from the 18th century.
- They were invited to a royal banquet at the palace.
- The royal guard stood at attention outside the gates.
Learner examples
- The royal family lives in the palace.
- We saw the royal crown in the museum.
- A royal wedding is on TV.
- The city had a royal visit last year.
- The royal coat is very beautiful.
adjective
B1
property
2
Magnificent or grand
Very big, beautiful, or important in a way that makes you think of a king or queen.
Usage pattern:
[royal] [treatment/entrance/reception]
Common mistake:
Some learners use 'royal' here literally when it is meant figuratively to mean 'impressive'.
Synonyms
regal (Suggests majesty and dignity, often in style or behavior.)
Antonyms
ordinary (Lacking special grandeur or significance.)
Collocations
royal treatment
|royal welcome
|royal feast
Themes
appearance
|emotions
|core_vocabulary
|arts_entertainment
Examples
- They gave us the royal treatment at the hotel.
- She made a royal entrance in her sparkling gown.
- We enjoyed a royal feast during the festival.
Learner examples
- The hotel gave us royal treatment.
- He made a royal entrance at the party.
- We had a royal meal at the wedding.
Noun
A2
entity
3
A member of royalty
A person who belongs to a king or queen’s family.
Usage pattern:
[a] royal [visited/spoke/appeared]
Synonyms
monarch (Specifically the ruling king or queen, not any family member.)
Antonyms
commoner (A person who is not of noble or royal birth.)
Collocations
a royal visit
|young royals
|senior royals
Themes
politics
|people
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Several royals attended the charity event.
- The young royals are popular with the public.
- A royal visited the school last week.
Learner examples
- The royal came to open the new school.
- I saw a royal on TV.
- The royals live in the big palace.
adjective
informal
B2
property
4
Complete or extreme (emphasis)
Used to say something is very bad or very big.
Usage pattern:
a royal [mess/pain/disaster]
Common mistake:
Learners may mistakenly interpret this sense literally as relating to royalty rather than as emphasis.
Synonyms
utter (Formal equivalent for complete or total.)
Antonyms
slight (Indicates something is minor rather than extreme.)
Collocations
a royal pain
|a royal mess
|a royal disaster
Themes
informal_language
|communication
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- That meeting was a royal waste of time.
- He made a royal mess of the project.
- Getting stuck in traffic was a royal pain.
Learner examples
- The trip was a royal waste of time.
- It was a royal mess after the party.
- This rain is a royal pain.
Grammar
Dictionary form
royal
IPA
GB/ɹˈɔɪəl/
US/ɹˈɔɪəl/
Syllables & stress
roy - al (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (roy)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: royal
Noun
- Base: royal
- Plural: royals
Word family
Expressions
a royal pain (in the neck)
1/ə ɹˈɔɪəl pˈeɪn ˈɪn ðə nˈɛk/
idiom
informal
Very annoying person/thing
Something or someone that is very annoying.
Examples
- Filling out all these forms is a royal pain.
- My little brother can be a royal pain sometimes.
royal flush
1/ɹˈɔɪəl flˈʌʃ/
fixed phrase
Highest poker hand (ace-high flush)
In poker, five cards from 10 to Ace in the same suit.
Examples
- He won the game with a royal flush.
- A royal flush is rare in poker.
royal treatment
1/ɹˈɔɪəl tɹˈitmənt/
fixed phrase
Special luxurious care for someone
To treat someone very well, like they are important.
Examples
- Guests at the resort receive the royal treatment from the moment they arrive.
- She gave her parents the royal treatment when they visited.