noun
Uncommon
RI
ree
RI (noun) means the initials once used by a British monarch after their name, standing for the Latin for "king-emperor" or "queen-empress" (used 1877-1947). Example: “Official documents from the era were signed with the monarch's name followed by "R.I.”
noun
1
The initials once used by a British monarch after their name, standing for the Latin for "king-emperor" or "queen-empress" (used 1877-1947).
"Official documents from the era were signed with the monarch's name followed by "R.I.""
2
A traditional Korean unit of distance, roughly equal to 393 meters.
"The old map marked the distance to the temple as ten ri."
3
In solfège, the syllable for the raised (sharp) second note of a major scale.
"The choir practiced singing do, ri, re to hear the difference between the natural and sharp second."
How to use RI
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA term with several unrelated technical uses: a royal title abbreviation, a Korean distance unit, and a music syllable.
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Word forms
- Plural
- ris
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The old map marked the distance to the temple as ten _____.
Etymology
The monarchical sense is from Latin rex imperator / regina imperatrix; the distance sense comes from Korean 리 (ri), ultimately from Chinese 里 (lǐ).
Frequently asked questions
What does “RI” mean?
The word “RI” means the initials once used by a British monarch after their name, standing for the Latin for "king-emperor" or "queen-empress" (used 1877-1947). In plain terms, a term with several unrelated technical uses: a royal title abbreviation, a Korean distance unit, and a music syllable.
How do you pronounce “RI”?
“RI” is pronounced ree (/ɹiː/ in IPA).
How do you use “RI” in a sentence?
Here is “RI” used in a sentence: “The old map marked the distance to the temple as ten ri.”
What part of speech is “RI”?
“RI” is a noun.
Where does the word “RI” come from?
The word “RI” comes from Latin. The monarchical sense is from Latin rex imperator / regina imperatrix; the distance sense comes from Korean 리 (ri), ultimately from Chinese 里 (lǐ).
Is “RI” a common word?
“RI” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “RI” have?
“RI” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the initials once used by a British monarch after their name, standing for the Latin for "king-emperor" or "queen-empress" (used 1877-1947).
What is the difference between RI as a royal title and RI as a Korean unit of distance?
As a royal title, RI stood for the Latin for "king-emperor" or "queen-empress" and was used after a British monarch's name from 1877 to 1947. As a unit of distance, ri is a traditional Korean measurement equal to roughly 393 meters, an entirely unrelated use of the same two letters.
How does ri as a Korean distance unit compare to a mile?
One ri is about 393 meters, which works out to roughly a quarter of a mile. It is a traditional unit rather than one used in modern metric measurement.
In solfège, what is the difference between ri and re?
In solfège, re is the plain second note of a major scale, while ri is the syllable used for that same note raised, or sharped. The two syllables let singers distinguish the natural and altered forms of the second scale degree.
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