See Also: loyal(dictionary)
loyal(dictionary)
LOYAL(law)

loyal (iou)



loyal adjective & noun. M16.
[French from Old French loial later var. of leial, leel from Latin legalis LEGAL. Cf. LEAL.]
A. adjective.
Faithful or steadfast in allegiance, spec. to the legitimate monarch or government of one's country. Also, enthusiastically reverential to (the family of) the monarch. M16.
W. S. Churchill Charles set up his standard..and called his loyal subjects to his aid. N. Chomsky A peasant-based guerilla force loyal to Sihanouk that will restore him to power.
b. gen. True or faithful to the obligations of duty, love, friendship, etc. L16.
M. Angelou One white New York club owner who had been a loyal friend to me. P. Grosskurth However loyal..to Freud, he had a strong mind of his own.
Of a thing, action, etc.: characterized by or exhibiting loyalty. L16.
loyal toast a toast proposed and drunk to the monarch of one's country.
Legal; spec. (of a child) legitimate. Only in 17.
b. noun. Orig., a person bound by allegiance, a liege subject. Now gen., a loyal subject. M16.
loyalize verb trans. make or keep loyal E17.
loyally adverb E16.
loyalness noun L16.