What does regnal mean?
Regnal describes anything connected with the reign of a monarch. Its best-known use is in the term regnal year, a system for counting the years of a sovereign's rule from the date of accession; these years need not correspond exactly to calendar years. A regnal name is the name a monarch officially uses while reigning, often incorporating a number and an ordinal title such as the Second or Third. The adjective may also characterize a monarch's title, authority, residence, arms, or coinage. In these contexts, it distinguishes facts belonging to a particular reign from facts about a ruler's life before or after accession. Regnal is formal and is especially common in history, law, archaeology, heraldry, and numismatics. Although similar in spelling to regional, it has an entirely different meaning: regnal concerns kingship and reign, while regional concerns geographical divisions.
adjectiveRelating to the reign of a monarch, especially to the years, name, title, or authority used during that reign.
- Relating to a monarch's reign, especially to the years, name, title, or authority used during that reign.
"The inscription identifies the ruler by his regnal name and title."
"The document is dated according to the monarch's regnal year rather than the calendar."
"The coin bears the king's regnal title and a simplified version of his portrait."
A regnal year begins when a sovereign accedes to the throne, so it does not necessarily align with a calendar year.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of regnal
Regnal derives from the Latin adjective regnalis, meaning “of or relating to a king,” which was formed from regnum, “kingdom.” Both words are connected with the Latin verb regere, “to rule.” The same root underlies English forms such as regent, regency, regime, and royal, as well as the cognate verb reign.
How regnal is actually used
The word is used chiefly in historical, constitutional, numismatic, and heraldic contexts. It is formal and is especially common in references to regnal years and regnal names.
Easily confused with regnal
Regnal means relating to a monarch's reign, whereas regional means relating to a particular geographic region.