English
royal
Royal comes from Old French roial, from Latin rēgālis ‘of a king’, from rēx ‘king’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₃reǵ- ‘to straighten’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₃reǵ-‘to straighten’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₃rḗǵs‘king’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*rēks‘king’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CErēx‘king’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CErēgālis‘regal’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400roial
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500royal‘royal’
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1596–1598same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₃reǵ-‘to straighten’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₃rḗǵs‘king’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*rēks‘king’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CErēx‘king’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CErēgālis‘regal’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400roial
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500royal‘royal’
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1596–1598same form
Earliest quotation: c. 1596–1598, William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice: “How doth that royal Merchant good Anthonio”.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *h₃reǵ- ‘to straighten’
right, director, source, region, regular, rule, direction, address, direct, correct, dress, rank, regime, arrangement, radar, arrange, rack, ana, regulate, resurrection, realm, rogue, riches, raj, erect, regent, interrogation, rake, rector, richness, regency, insurrection, rectify, anorexia, rectum, rhesus, rectification, incorrigible, régime, dirge, 96 more
through Proto-Indo-European *h₃rḗǵs ‘king, ruler’
rich, rani, rajah, eldritch, 7 more
through Latin rēx ‘king’
through Latin rēgālis ‘regal, royal’
Today it means
adj Of or relating to a monarch or his (or her) family.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *h₃reǵ- / royal