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

In one frame a row of children are dressed in colorful, traditional regalia. —Adam Burke, NPR, 9 Dec. 2024

Both the Mexican king Cuauhtémoc and the Visigoth king Rodrigo unwisely appeared in full regalia, allowing the enemy to recognize and defeat him. —Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 5 Dec. 2024

Photograph by kya Photograph by kya In a sweet-meets-sensational end of the festivities, Lil’ Kim made a surprise appearance in full Telfar regalia. —Sam Falb, Vogue, 25 Nov. 2024

Massive trucks carrying thousands of gallons of milk bore down the narrow road, and three men dressed in full regalia used their spurs to whirl sweating horses past us at a full gallop. —Kayla Aletha Welch, Longreads, 19 Nov. 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