English
royalty
Royalty comes from Old French roialté, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *h₃reǵ- ‘to straighten’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₃reǵ-‘to straighten’root as named · steps between not traced
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400roialté
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500royaltee
- Englishearliest quotation 2014royalty
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₃reǵ-‘to straighten’root as named · steps between not traced
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400roialté
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500royaltee
- Englishearliest quotation 2014royalty
Earliest quotation: 2014, Richard Curtis: “Until the total of advances in that contract has…”
Formed from royal + -ty
Proto-Indo-European *h₃reǵ- ‘to straighten’
…
Latin rēx ‘king’
Latin rēgālis ‘regal’
Old French roial
Middle English royal ‘royal’
English royal
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *h₃reǵ- ‘to straighten’
right, real, director, source, region, regular, rule, direction, address, direct, rich, correct, dress, rank, regime, arrangement, radar, arrange, rack, ana, rex, regulate, resurrection, rogue, roy, raj, erect, regent, interrogation, rake, rector, regency, insurrection, rectify, anorexia, regal, rani, rectum, rajah, rhesus, 106 more
Today it means
noun The rank, status, power or authority of a monarch.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *h₃reǵ- / royalty