royalty
UK[ˈrɔɪəlti]US[ˈrɔɪəlti]
n
People of royal blood or status; members of a royal family.
n
A sum of money paid to the owner of a patent, copyright, or natural resource for the right to use it.
Morpheme Breakdown
royal
ty
royal
relating to a king or queen
ty
state or condition
Etymology
The word 'royalty' traces its lineage to the Latin 'rex', meaning 'king'. Through Old French 'roialte', it entered English, initially denoting the office, dignity, or power of a monarch—the abstract state of being royal. This core concept of sovereign status naturally extended to refer to the individuals who embody that state: the royal family collectively. The financial sense, a payment to a sovereign or patent holder, developed later by metaphorical extension, framing the recipient as enjoying a king-like right or privilege over a particular asset or creation.
Analysis
Structure: royal (relating to a king or queen) + ty (state or condition)
'Royal' originates from Old French 'roial', from Latin 'regalis' (kingly), from 'rex' (king). The suffix '-ty' comes from Old French '-te', from Latin '-tas', '-tatis', forming nouns indicating a state or condition.
Examples
The event was attended by royalty and celebrities from around the world.
The author receives a 10% royalty on every book sold.
The company pays royalties to the government for oil extraction rights.