noun pl. royalties -·ties

1. the rank, status, or power of a king or queen; royal position, dignity, etc.; sovereignty
2. a royal person or, collectively, royal persons
3. Archaic a royal domain or realm; kingdom
4. royal quality or character; nobility, magnanimity, etc.
5. Archaic a right, privilege, or prerogative of a monarch
6. Rare
   1. a royal right, as over some natural resource, granted by a monarch to a person, corporation, etc.
   2. payment for such a right
7. 1. a share of the proceeds or product paid to the owner of a right, as a patent, for permission to use it or operate under it
   2. such a share paid to one from whom lands rich in oil or minerals are leased
   3. a share of proceeds, usually a specified percentage, paid for the work of an author, composer, etc. by the publisher

Etymology: ME roialte < OFr < ML regalitas < L regalis, regal