regalia

plural noun

re·​ga·​lia ri-ˈgāl-yə 

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.

Synonyms

• array
• best
• bravery
• caparison
• feather
• finery
• frippery
• full dress
• gaiety
• gayety
• glad rags

Examples of regalia in a Sentence

was impressed with the regalia of the women at the ball

Recent Examples on the Web

Before long, the parking lot has at least 10 cars outfitted in Trump regalia. —Dan Sheehan, Rolling Stone, 4 Nov. 2024

The vibe: Fans turned up at the Coliseum early in the day in full green and gold regalia. —Shawna Chen, Axios, 29 Sep. 2024

The Imperial State Crown and regalia will travel in its own carriage ahead of the royal couple. —Armani Syed, TIME, 17 July 2024

Law enforcement officers seized 25 firearms, an unspecified number of rounds of ammunition and gang regalia, according to the statement, jointly released with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. —Dennis Romero, NBC News, 26 June 2024

Word History

Etymology

Medieval Latin, from Latin, neuter plural of regalis

First Known Use

circa 1540, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

regalia

singular or plural noun

re·​ga·​lia ri-ˈgāl-yə 

1

: the emblems and symbols (as the crown) of royalty

2

: the emblem of an office or association

3

: special dress : finery