royal fern

royal fern
    n 1: large deeply rooted fern of worldwide distribution with
         upright bipinnate compound tufted fronds [syn: {royal
         fern}, {royal osmund}, {king fern}, {ditch fern}, {French
         bracken}, {Osmunda regalis}]
    

Osmund \Os"mund\, n. (Bot.)
   A fern of the genus {Osmunda}, or flowering fern. The most
   remarkable species is the {osmund royal}, or {royal fern}
   ({Osmunda regalis}), which grows in wet or boggy places, and
   has large bipinnate fronds, often with a panicle of capsules
   at the top. The rootstock contains much starch, and has been
   used in stiffening linen.
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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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