princely

adjective prince·ly \ ˈprin(t)s-lē \

Updated on: 30 Mar 2018

Definition of princely

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

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princely

adverb

See princely defined for English-language learners

See princely defined for kids

Examples of princely in a Sentence

a display of princely courtesy
set a princely meal before their guests

Recent Examples of princely from the Web

In 1922 he was paid the princely sum of $200,000 a year by the McNaught syndicate.

— carl nolte, San Francisco Chronicle, "The work of Rube Goldberg — artist, inventor, adjective — on display in SF," 15 Mar. 2018
That didn’t exactly leave a princely sum for the interiors; budgets for the kind of projects Mr. Salasky usually works on can quickly run north of $1,000 per square foot.

— pilar viladas, New York Times, "The Secret in a Brooklyn Apartment Redo? Plywood," 6 Mar. 2018
Lawrence Brownlee is celebrated for his portrayals of the princely heroes and love-smitten lords of bel canto.

— john von rhein, chicagotribune.com, "With new song cycle, Lawrence Brownlee explores a black man's life in America," 20 Feb. 2018
Its price: $3,995 — a princely premium over a no-frills home treadmill that might set you back about $500.

— farhad manjoo, New York Times, "What a $4,000 Treadmill Means for the Future of Gadgets," 9 Jan. 2018
With Marshall Tucker and Wet Willie, for the princely sum of $4.50.

— paul daugherty, Cincinnati.com, "Doc: Eliminate catcher visits to the mound," 2 Nov. 2017
The tiny but pretty downtown is dominated by the Winnebago County Courthouse, which was completed in 1896 for the then-princely sum of $25,000.

— corky siemaszko, NBC News, "One Officer’s Fall: A Badge Was No Protection From Addiction," 10 Oct. 2017
Mellon was a gifted gardener with princely means and infallible taste: Her close friend Jacqueline Kennedy asked her to redesign the White House Rose Garden.

— alessandra stanley, New York Times, "Bunny Mellon Had Peerless Taste and a Penchant for Scandal," 6 Oct. 2017
But if your earnings were above average during your working life, your benefits will be higher than that average, too — though still not a princely sum.

— selena maranjian, USA TODAY, "3 good reasons not to retire before age 66," 28 Sep. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'princely.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of princely

15th century

princely Synonyms

Synonyms

kingly, monarchal (or monarchial), monarchical (also monarchic), queenly, regal, royal;

grandiose, heroic (also heroical), imposing, magnificent, majestic, monumental, splendid, stately;

PRINCELY Defined for English Language Learners

princely

adjective

Definition of princely for English Language Learners

: very large or impressive
: of, relating to, or suitable for a prince

PRINCELY Defined for Kids

princely

adjective prince·ly \ ˈprins-lē \

Definition of princely for Students

1 : suitable for a prince

princely service

2 : very large or impressive

a princely sum

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Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for princely Spanish Central: Translation of princely Nglish: Translation of princely for Spanish speakers

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princely

Definition of princely

princely

Examples of princely in a Sentence

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First Known Use of princely

princely Synonyms

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PRINCELY Defined for English Language Learners

princely

Definition of princely for English Language Learners

PRINCELY Defined for Kids

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