What does "regalia" mean?
Royal rights, prerogatives and privileges actually enjoyed by any sovereign, regardless of his title (emperor, grand duke etc.).
Regalia
/ɹɪˈɡæɪ.li.ə/ noun
noun ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Royal rights, prerogatives and privileges actually enjoyed by any sovereign, regardless of his title (emperor, grand duke etc.).
- Grammar: regalia is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: academic dress, apparatus, appareling, appurtenances.
- Useful contrasts: casual clothes, informal dress, limitations.
- Usage evidence: At the convocation, all the faculty and deans wore their doctoral regalia and octagonal hats.
How to use "regalia"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "regalia" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "regalia" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "regalia" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "regalia" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "regalia" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "academic dress" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "regalia", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Royal rights, prerogatives and privileges actually enjoyed by any sovereign, regardless of his title (emperor, grand duke etc.). plural, plural-only
- 2 A kind of large cigar of superior quality. archaic
"I have taken care that there's both brandy and whiskey nicely stowed away in the barrack-room, with plenty of prime regalia cigars[…]"
- 3 especially fine or decorative clothing wordnet
- 4 The emblems, symbols, or paraphernalia indicative of royalty or any other sovereign status; such as a crown, orb, sceptre or sword. plural, plural-only
"THE INTHRONIZATION. The King ascended the Theatre, accompanied by the two Bishops his Supporters, the Great Officers of State, the Lords carrying the Swords, and the Lords who had borne Their Majesties' Regalia, and was Inthroned by the Archbishops, Bishops, and the other Peers, who then stood about the steps of the Throne."
- 5 paraphernalia indicative of royalty (or other high office) wordnet
Show 4 more definitions
- 6 Decorations or insignia indicative of an office or membership of an order or society; such as freemasonry. plural, plural-only
- 7 Traditional dress and accessories of North American Indigenous nations worn for ritual purposes. plural, plural-only
- 8 Finery, magnificent dress, or lavish or flashy costume. broadly, plural, plural-only
"to be dressed in full regalia (dressed up)"
- 9 Sumptuous food. broadly, obsolete, plural, plural-only
"c. 1685-1686, Charles Cotton, the Essays of M. de Montaigne After having a long time treated their Prisoners very well, and given them all the Regalia's they can think of, he to whom the Prisoner belongs, invites a great Assembly of his Kindred and Friends"
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"At the convocation, all the faculty and deans wore their doctoral regalia and octagonal hats."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "regalia"?
Common synonyms include: academic dress, apparatus, appareling, appurtenances, armory, array.
How do you use "regalia" in a sentence?
At the convocation, all the faculty and deans wore their doctoral regalia and octagonal hats.
How do you pronounce "regalia"?
Pronounced /ɹɪˈɡæɪ.li.ə/.
Etymology
From Middle English regalie, from Medieval Latin rēgālia (“royal powers”), substantivisation of the neuter plural of rēgālis (“of a king”), from rēx (“king”). By surface analysis, regal + -ia. Doublet of regal.