royalty

roy·al·ty

noun \ˈrȯi(-ə)l-tē\

plural roy·al·ties

Definition of ROYALTY

1

a : royal status or power : sovereignty b : a right or perquisite of a sovereign (as a percentage paid to the crown of gold or silver taken from mines)

2

: regal character or bearing : nobility

3

a : persons of royal lineage b : a person of royal rank <how to address royalties — George Santayana> c : an elite class

4

: a right of jurisdiction granted to an individual or corporation by a sovereign

5

a : a share of the product or profit reserved by the grantor especially of an oil or mining lease b : a payment to an author or composer for each copy of a work sold or to an inventor for each item sold under a patent

Examples of ROYALTY

1. It was an honor and a privilege to dine with royalty.
2. On our wedding day, we were treated like royalty.

Origin of ROYALTY

Middle English roialte, from Anglo-French realté, roialté, from real

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to ROYALTY

Synonyms: augustness, kingliness, majesty, stateliness

Related Words: high-mindedness, magnanimity, nobility, nobleness; haughtiness, lordliness, pomposity, pompousness; dignity, poise; gloriousness, grandeur, grandness, greatness, impressiveness, magnificence, resplendence, resplendency, splendidness, splendor; class, elegance, grace

Near Antonyms: commoners, herd, hoi polloi, masses, millions, mob, multitude, rank and file, unwashed

see all synonyms and antonyms

[+]more[-]hide