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.
Examples of regalia in a Sentence
was impressed with the regalia of the women at the ball
Recent Examples on the Web
The school’s logo historically featured a stereotypical depiction of a Native American man wearing a war bonnet, regalia traditionally worn by leaders of the American Plains Indians Nations.
—
Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 1 May 2026
The coronation spoon The oldest surviving piece of coronation regalia and one of the oldest pieces in the crown jewels collection, the coronation spoon — which dates back to the 12th century — is used by the Archbishop of Canterbury during the most sacred part of the coronation ceremony.
—Alex Gurley, PEOPLE, 26 Apr. 2026
Students in Imam’s classes on the Old and New Testaments do tutorials in his office, reading essays aloud while Imam wears full academic regalia.
—Emma Green, New Yorker, 17 Apr. 2026
The girl from Santo Domingo’s bajo mundo made her name rapping gleefully filthy dembow in space-punk regalia.
—E.r. Pulgar, Pitchfork, 16 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for regalia
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Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 1 May 2026
The coronation spoon The oldest surviving piece of coronation regalia and one of the oldest pieces in the crown jewels collection, the coronation spoon — which dates back to the 12th century — is used by the Archbishop of Canterbury during the most sacred part of the coronation ceremony.
—Alex Gurley, PEOPLE, 26 Apr. 2026
Students in Imam’s classes on the Old and New Testaments do tutorials in his office, reading essays aloud while Imam wears full academic regalia.
—Emma Green, New Yorker, 17 Apr. 2026
The girl from Santo Domingo’s bajo mundo made her name rapping gleefully filthy dembow in space-punk regalia.
—E.r. Pulgar, Pitchfork, 16 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for regalia
Cite this Entry
“Regalia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/regalia. Accessed 6 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids 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
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