princely

adjective

prince·​ly ˈprin(t)s-lē How to pronounce princely (audio)
princelier; princeliest
1
: of or relating to a prince : royal
2
: befitting a prince : noble, magnificent
princely manners
a princely sum
3
: governed by a prince
a princely state
princely adverb

Examples of princely in a Sentence

a display of princely courtesy set a princely meal before their guests
Recent Examples on the Web When Britain divided its Indian colony into a Hindu-majority India and a Muslim-majority Pakistan in 1947, the status of what was then the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir was left undecided. Aijaz Hussain, The Christian Science Monitor, 11 Dec. 2023 Gingerly walking down the rickety steps of the church, John Jr. gallantly clasping her hand, her face flushed with euphoria and surprise at the princely gesture, Carolyn was the Camelot bride. Hedy Phillips, Peoplemag, 6 Nov. 2023 All for the princely salary of $3,200. Dallas News, 14 Feb. 2023 The children of Prince Edward, the king’s younger brother, have so far declined to use their princely titles. Karla Adam, Washington Post, 9 Mar. 2023 In 1947, the Indian subcontinent was partitioned into India and Pakistan, leading to widespread violence between Muslims and Hindus and cleaving what had been the princely state of Kashmir. Sameer Yasir, New York Times, 11 Jan. 2023 In an interview with Oprah Winfrey last year, Meghan said that the royal family discussed changing the rules in order to keep Archie from acquiring the princely title. Chelsey Sanchez, Harper's BAZAAR, 9 Sep. 2022 Just ask the princely tribes endowed by Family Dollar, Public Storage, and Hot Pockets microwave pastries. Evan Osnos, The New Yorker, 16 Jan. 2023 Uzbek paintings were also preserved, including monumental murals of the princely residence of Varakhsha, dating back to the 4th century. Rochelle Beighton, CNN, 12 Dec. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'princely.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of princely was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near princely

Cite this Entry

“Princely.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/princely. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

princely

adjective
prince·​ly ˈprin(t)-slē How to pronounce princely (audio)
princelier; princeliest
1
: of or relating to a prince
2
: suitable for a prince
a princely sum

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