[ˈrɔɪəlti], (Noun)

Definitions:
- people of royal blood or status
(e.g: diplomats, heads of state, and royalty shared tables at the banquet)

- a sum paid to a patentee for the use of a patent or to an author or composer for each copy of a book sold or for each public performance of a work
(e.g: the royalties paid to writers for recorded music)

- a royal right (now especially over minerals) granted by the sovereign to an individual or corporation


Phrases:

Origin:
late Middle English: from Old French roialte, from roial (see royal). The sense ‘royal right (especially over minerals’) (late 15th century) developed into the sense ‘payment made by a mineral producer to the site owner’ (mid 19th century), which was then transferred to payments for the use of patents and published materials