variants or less commonly riyal
: the basic monetary unit of Iran, Oman, and Yemen see Money Table

rial

2 of 4

noun (2)

ri·​al

less common spelling of riyal

: the basic monetary unit of Qatar and Saudi Arabia see Money Table
variants or less commonly rial
: the basic monetary unit of Qatar and Saudi Arabia see Money Table

riyal

4 of 4

noun (4)

ri·​yal

less common spelling of rial

: the basic monetary unit of Iran, Oman, and Yemen see Money Table

Examples of rial in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
The rial’s devaluation will have the effect of making imports more expensive and Iranian exports cheaper. Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026 Further disruption could weaken the rial, push inflation toward triple digits, and deepen an economic contraction currently estimated at 5%, a former Iranian central bank adviser told CNBC. semafor.com, 20 Aug. 2026
Noun
The transfer freeze comes as the club’s owner, Saudi’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), moves to address a financial crisis at the club, whose debts now exceed 800 million riyals ($213 million), according to Arriyadiyah. Adrian Elimian, semafor.com, 30 July 2026 In 2022, when the games were hosted in Qatar, the most expensive general sale tickets for the final match were 5,850 Qatari riyals, or $1,607, a 46% increase from the $1,100 price for the equivalent match in 2018. Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 2 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for rial

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Persian, from Arabic riyāl riyal

Noun (3)

Arabic riyāl, from Spanish real real

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1930, in the meaning defined above

Noun (3)

1856, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of rial was in 1856

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Cite this Entry

“Rial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rial. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

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