English dictionary, thesaurus, translations & etymology
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adj

princely

PRIHNS-lee
adj
1
Fit for or resembling a prince; lavish or generous.
"He was paid a princely sum for the job."
"They stayed in princely comfort at the resort."

How to Use Princely

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishGrand, generous, or fit for royalty — often used ironically about money, as in "a princely sum."

Common mistake

"A princely sum" is often used sarcastically to mean a surprisingly small amount, so check the context.

Common pairings
a princely sum princely comfort princely manner

Word Forms

princelier comparative, more princely comparative, princeliest superlative, most princely superlative

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He was paid a _____ sum for the job.

Etymology

From Middle English princely, formed from prince plus the suffix -ly.

Antonyms

Rhymes for princely

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