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

Recent Examples on the Web Above all, Parks envisions a future that includes graduation ceremonies where these juveniles are dressed in regalia and able to celebrate their accomplishments and their commitment to a better path. Jenelyn Russo, Orange County Register, 30 Jan. 2024 He was dazzled by the spectacle of the dances, the drums and song, which were performed, at times, in traditional regalia, jewelry, and beadwork. Jeff Gage, Rolling Stone, 24 Nov. 2023 The royal regalia — including the Imperial State Crown, the Great Sword of State and the Cap of Maintenance — traveled in their own coach. Stephanie Petit, Peoplemag, 7 Nov. 2023 The opportunity to marvel at the trivia mastery of Star Wars obsessives — many of whom will come in dressed in full intergalactic regalia — should be rewarding even for people who wouldn’t know a wampa from a tauntaun. Bill Brownlee, Kansas City Star, 30 Jan. 2024 With its booming drums, bird singing and dancers dressed in colorful regalia, Pechanga Band of Indians will host its annual powwow on its reservation in Temecula this weekend. Lauren J. Mapp, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Jan. 2024 Fans continued to flee, crushing regalia and confetti strewn on the concrete in their wake. Hyojung Kim, Washington Post, 16 Feb. 2024 Middle schoolers often show up to support the varsity team in full Cougars regalia. Sam Cohn, Baltimore Sun, 9 Feb. 2024 Besides the occasional procession in full royal regalia, there are meetings with political leaders, dedication ceremonies and events honoring the accomplishments of British citizens. Danica Kirka, Twin Cities, 6 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'regalia.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Dictionary Entries Near regalia

Cite this Entry

“Regalia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/regalia. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

regalia

noun singular or plural
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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