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The Collaborative International Dictionary
Oreodoxa regia

Royal \Roy"al\, a. [OE. roial, riall, real, OF. roial. reial, F. royal, fr. L. regalis, fr. rex, regis, king. See Rich, and cf. regal, real a coin, Rial.]

  1. Kingly; pertaining to the crown or the sovereign; suitable for a king or queen; regal; as, royal power or prerogative; royal domains; the royal family; royal state.

  2. Noble; generous; magnificent; princely.

    How doth that royal merchant, good Antonio?
    --Shak.

  3. Under the patronage of royality; holding a charter granted by the sovereign; as, the Royal Academy of Arts; the Royal Society.

    Battle royal. See under Battle.

    Royal bay (Bot.), the classic laurel ( Laurus nobilis.)

    Royal eagle. (Zo["o]l.) See Golden eagle, under Golden.

    Royal fern (Bot.), the handsome fern Osmunda regalis. See Osmund.

    Royal mast (Naut.), the mast next above the topgallant mast and usually the highest on a square-rigged vessel. The royal yard and royal sail are attached to the royal mast.

    Royal metal, an old name for gold.

    Royal palm (Bot.), a magnificent West Indian palm tree ( Oreodoxa regia), lately discovered also in Florida.

    Royal pheasant. See Curassow.

    Royal purple, an intense violet color, verging toward blue.

    Royal tern (Zo["o]l.), a large, crested American tern ( Sterna maxima).

    Royal tiger. (Zo["o]l.) See Tiger.

    Royal touch, the touching of a diseased person by the hand of a king, with the view of restoring to health; -- formerly extensively practiced, particularly for the scrofula, or king's evil.

    Syn: Kingly; regal; monarchical; imperial; kinglike; princely; august; majestic; superb; splendid; illustrious; noble; magnanimous.