royalty

noun

roy·​al·​ty ˈrȯi(-ə)l-tē 

plural royalties

1

a

: royal status or power : sovereignty

b

: a right or perquisite of a sovereign (such 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

Synonyms

• majesty
• nobility
• dignity

Examples of royalty in a Sentence

It was an honor and a privilege to dine with royalty.

On our wedding day, we were treated like royalty.

Recent Examples on the Web

No word, if Lively and Reynolds are going to Swift’s wedding with repeat Super Bowl champ and Kansas City Chief player Travis Kelce – but then again there is no word when that American royalty nuptial day is happening and who is going besides Swift and Kelce. —Dominic Patten, Deadline, 12 Sep. 2025

At Michael Kors, A-List guests including Gwyneth Paltrow, Olivia Wilde, Leslie Bibb came out to show their support for the American designer, as well as a row of second-generation Hollywood royalty like Leni Klum, Ava Phillippe and Isan Elba. —Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 12 Sep. 2025

Since Still Sucks, the group has been quiet in terms of sharing new music, but they have been involved in a major lawsuit with Universal Music Group over unpaid royalties. —Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 12 Sep. 2025

When the development quickly becomes public, Mary becomes an outcast, even being asked, only reasonably politely, to leave a societal affair before royalty arrives. —Mark Meszoros, Boston Herald, 12 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for royalty

• loyalty
• disloyalty
• viceroyalty

Kids Definition

royalty

noun

roy·​al·​ty ˈrȯi(-ə)l-tē 

plural royalties

1

: royal status or power

2

: royal character or conduct

3

: members of a royal family

4

a

: a share of a product or profit (as of a mine) claimed by the owner for allowing another to use the property

b

: a payment made to the owner of a patent or copyright for the use of it

Legal Definition

royalty

noun

roy·​al·​ty

plural royalties

1

: a right delegated (as to an individual or corporation) by a sovereign

2

a

: a share of the profit or product reserved by the grantor especially of an oil or mineral lease compare overriding royalty

b

: a payment made to an author or composer for each copy of a work sold or to an inventor for each article sold under a patent