regalia

plural noun

re·​ga·​lia ri-ˈgāl-yə How to pronounce regalia (audio)
1
: royal rights or prerogatives
2
a
: the emblems, symbols, or paraphernalia indicative of royalty
b
: decorations or insignia indicative of an office or membership
3
: special dress
especially : finery

Did you know?

Just as regal describes a king or queen—that is, a ruler—regalia originally meant the things, and especially the dress and decoration, that belong exclusively to a monarch. The British monarchy's regalia include the crown jewels (crown, scepter, orb, sword, etc.) that lend luster to royal coronations. Academic regalia—the caps, gowns, and hoods worn by students receiving their degrees—link institutions to their past by preserving the dress worn at universities since their beginnings in the Middle Ages, when long hooded robes were needed for warmth.

Examples of regalia in a Sentence

was impressed with the regalia of the women at the ball
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.
Another image of Trump as a king in full coronation regalia, similar to that of British monarchs, was shared by Taylor Budowich, the White House deputy chief of staff. Dan Perry, Newsweek, 20 Feb. 2025 Inside, over 10,000 fans packed the arena to the rafters, humming with anticipation, many of them wearing their own No. 12 jerseys or Watkins regalia. Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 17 Feb. 2025 In her will, the mom-of-four planned to pass down her religious regalia to her late son Shane and her guitar collection to her youngest child, Yeshua. Escher Walcott, People.com, 26 Jan. 2025 The regalia had been hidden for 85 years—since it was stowed for safekeeping beneath the Vilnius Cathedral in southeastern Lithuania. Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for regalia

Word History

Etymology

Medieval Latin, from Latin, neuter plural of regalis

First Known Use

circa 1540, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of regalia was circa 1540

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Cite this Entry

“Regalia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/regalia. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

regalia

singular or plural noun
re·​ga·​lia ri-ˈgāl-yə How to pronounce regalia (audio)
1
: the emblems and symbols (as the crown) of royalty
2
: the emblem of an office or association
3
: special dress : finery

More from Merriam-Webster on regalia

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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