riyal

1 of 2

noun (1)

ri·​yal rē-ˈyäl How to pronounce riyal (audio)
-ˈyal
variants or less commonly rial
: the basic monetary unit of Qatar and Saudi Arabia see Money Table

riyal

2 of 2

noun (2)

ri·​yal

less common spelling of rial

: the basic monetary unit of Iran, Oman, and Yemen see Money Table

Examples of riyal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Prize money has quadrupled since the Saudi Women’s Premier League launched in 2022, and Riyadh’s Al-Nassr club took home 2 million riyals ($531,000) for last season’s title. — semafor.com, 23 Oct. 2026 For a roughly 6 to 7 percent fee on the transaction, some Azerbaijani banks will accept a transfer from a client who wishes to move Saudi riyals or Emirati dirhams totaling hundreds of millions of dollars. — Matthew Cole, Vanity Fair, 22 Oct. 2026 Al Taawoun have been given a two-game stadium ban in the Saudi Pro League and fined 100,000 riyals ($26,660, £19,796) after fans were filmed chanting the name of the late footballer Diogo Jota. — Dan Sheldon, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026 In 2022, when the games were hosted in Qatar, the most expensive general sale tickets for the final match were 5,850 Qatari riyals, or $1,607, a 46% increase from the $1,100 price for the equivalent match in 2018. — Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 2 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for riyal

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Arabic riyāl, from Spanish real real

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1856, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of riyal was in 1856

Rhymes for riyal

See All Rhymes for riyal

Browse Nearby Words

Riyadh
riyal
riz
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Riyal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/riyal. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

riyal

noun
ri·​yal
rē-ˈyäl
1
: the basic unit of money of Qatar and Saudi Arabia
2
: a bill representing one riyal

More from Merriam-Webster on riyal

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about riyal

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