Basic Details
Word: Triumphal
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Made or done to celebrate a great victory, such as a triumphal arch or a triumphal march.
Synonyms: celebratory
Word origin: From Latin triumphalis, from triumphus, a victory parade in ancient Rome.
How to Spell Triumphal
Syllables: tri - um - phal
Tricky part: The f sound is spelt ph, and the ending is -al, not -el or -ul. Triumphal describes things built or held for a win; a person who has won is triumphant.
Watch out for: triumfal, triumphel, triumpal
Memory tip: Start from triumph, which already holds the ph, and add the -al of royal and national: a royal, triumphal parade.
Usage Examples
Example 1: The victorious army marched through a triumphal arch into the old capital.
Example 2: The team's triumphal return was greeted by drums at the airport.
Example 3: In ancient Rome, a general who won a great war was given a triumphal procession.
Fun Fact
The Arc de Triomphe in Paris, ordered by Napoleon in 1806, is one of the most famous triumphal arches in the world.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Cookie
Insert the correct letters to form a word:
tri_mph_l
a) u, a
b) u, e
c) o, a
d) a, a
Show answer
a) u, a. Triumph has a u after the i, and the adjective ending is -al.
Word Connection
Choose the synonym of the word triumphal as used in the sentence:
Crowds lined the streets for the triumphal parade of the winning hockey team.
a) defeated
b) secret
c) celebratory
d) mournful
Show answer
c) celebratory. A parade for winners celebrates; mournful and defeated suit a loss, and a parade on the streets is hardly secret.
Spell-o-Spell
Choose the meaning of the only correctly spelt word:
1. triumphal 2. procesion 3. victorius 4. ceremonnial
a) having won a battle or contest
b) a line of people moving along in an orderly way
c) made or done to celebrate a great victory
d) used in a formal ceremony
Show answer
c) made or done to celebrate a great victory. Procession has a double s, victorious keeps the o before -us, and ceremonial has just one n.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Choose the pair that fills the blanks: The ____ captain waved as the bus passed under the ____ arch.
a) triumphal, triumphal
b) triumphant, triumphant
c) triumphant, triumphal
d) triumphal, triumphant
Show answer
c) triumphant, triumphal
2. A triumphal procession is held to ____.
a) celebrate a victory
b) open a market
c) protest a law
d) mourn a death
Show answer
a) celebrate a victory
