Royal \Roy"al\, a. [OE. roial, riall, real, OF. roial. reial, F.
   royal, fr. L. regalis, fr. rex, regis, king. See Rich, and
   cf. regal, real a coin, Rial.]
   1. Kingly; pertaining to the crown or the sovereign; suitable
      for a king or queen; regal; as, royal power or
      prerogative; royal domains; the royal family; royal state.
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   2. Noble; generous; magnificent; princely.
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            How doth that royal merchant, good Antonio? --Shak.
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   3. Under the patronage of royality; holding a charter granted
      by the sovereign; as, the Royal Academy of Arts; the Royal
      Society.
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   Battle royal. See under Battle.

   Royal bay (Bot.), the classic laurel (Laurus nobilis.)

   Royal eagle. (Zool.) See Golden eagle, under Golden.

   Royal fern (Bot.), the handsome fern Osmunda regalis. See
      Osmund.

   Royal mast (Naut.), the mast next above the topgallant mast
      and usually the highest on a square-rigged vessel. The
      royal yard and royal sail are attached to the royal mast.
      

   Royal metal, an old name for gold.

   Royal palm (Bot.), a magnificent West Indian palm tree
      (Oreodoxa regia), lately discovered also in Florida.

   Royal pheasant. See Curassow.

   Royal purple, an intense violet color, verging toward blue.
      

   Royal tern (Zool.), a large, crested American tern (Sterna
      maxima).

   Royal tiger. (Zool.) See Tiger.

   Royal touch, the touching of a diseased person by the hand
      of a king, with the view of restoring to health; --
      formerly extensively practiced, particularly for the
      scrofula, or king's evil.
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   Syn: Kingly; regal; monarchical; imperial; kinglike;
        princely; august; majestic; superb; splendid;
        illustrious; noble; magnanimous.
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Tern \Tern\ (t[~e]rn), n. [Dan. terne, t[ae]rne; akin to Sw.
   t[aum]rna, Icel. [thorn]erna; cf. NL. sterna.] (Zool.)
   Any one of numerous species of long-winged aquatic birds,
   allied to the gulls, and belonging to Sterna and various
   allied genera.
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   Note: Terns differ from gulls chiefly in their graceful form,
         in their weaker and more slender bills and feet, and
         their longer and more pointed wings. The tail is
         usually forked. Most of the species are white with the
         back and wings pale gray, and often with a dark head.
         The common European tern (Sterna hirundo) is found
         also in Asia and America. Among other American species
         are the arctic tern (Sterna paradisaea), the roseate
         tern (Sterna Dougalli), the least tern (Sterna
         Antillarum), the royal tern (Sterna maxima), and the
         sooty tern (Sterna fuliginosa).
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   Hooded tern. See Fairy bird, under Fairy.

   Marsh tern, any tern of the genus Hydrochelidon. They
      frequent marshes and rivers and feed largely upon insects.
      

   River tern, any tern belonging to Seena or allied genera
      which frequent rivers.

   Sea tern, any tern of the genus Thalasseus. Terns of this
      genus have very long, pointed wings, and chiefly frequent
      seas and the mouths of large rivers.
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