Kingly
adj, adv ·2 syllables ·Uncommon ·College level
Definitions
- 1 Of or belonging to a king or kings; exercised by a king. not-comparable
"O thou dull god, why liest thou with the vile / In loathsome beds, and leav'st the kingly couch / A watch-case or a common 'larum-bell?"
- 2 Characteristic of kings, majestic, regal; as befits a king, in the manner of a king.
"1580s, Philip Sidney, The Countess of Pembroke's Arcadia, London: Simon Waterson, 1613, Book 2, p. 159, https://books.google.ca/books?id=a0XVv0Gubt8C&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false For then she sets foorth the liberty of his mind, the high flying of his thoughts, the fitnesse in him to beare rule, the singular loue the subiects bare him; that it was doubtful, whether his wit were greater in winning their fauours, or his courage in imploying their fauours: that he was not borne to liue a subiect-life, each action of his bearing in it Maiestie, such a kingly entertainement, such a kingly magnificence, such a kingly heart for enterprises: especially remembring those vertues, which in successor are no more honored by the subiects, then suspected of the Princes."
- 1 having the rank of or resembling or befitting a king wordnet
- 1 In a royal manner.
Antonyms
All antonymsExample
More examples"Thou shalt be over my house, and at the commandment of thy mouth all the people shall obey: only in the kingly throne will I be above thee."
Etymology
From Middle English kyngly, from Old English *cyninglīċ (“kingly, royal”), equivalent to king + -ly. Cognate with Dutch koninklijk (“kingly, royal”), German königlich (“kingly”), Swedish kunglig (“kingly”). Compare also Old English cynelīċ (“kingly, royal, public”).
From Middle English kyngly, from Old English *cyninglīċe (“kingly, royally”), equivalent to king + -ly. Compare Old English cynelīċe (“kingly, royally, publicly”).
More for "kingly"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.