regimen
Americannoun
-
Medicine/Medical. a regulated course, as of diet, exercise, or manner of living, intended to preserve or restore health or to attain some result.
-
Grammar. government.
noun
-
Also called: regime. a systematic way of life or course of therapy, often including exercise and a recommended diet
-
administration or rule
Etymology
Origin of regimen
1350–1400; Middle English < Latin: rule, government, guidance, equivalent to reg ( ere ) to rule + -i- -i- + -men, noun suffix of result
Explanation
A regimen is a systematic plan for some kind of therapy. If your doctor tells you to eat more vegetables, cut out potato chips, exercise, and take vitamins, she is prescribing a regimen for better health. It's easy to confuse regimen with regime. While both words can refer to an organized plan for diet, exercise, or medical therapy, only regime can refer to a system of government. If you wash your face twice a day, apply medicine to your acne, and use a special lotion, that's your skin-care regimen. But if a country votes out the ruling party in favor of new leaders, that's a new regime.
Vocabulary lists containing regimen
"Diary of a Wimpy Kid" by Jeff Kinney
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak, Part Six
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
One of Us Is Lying
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
His writing regimen is the focus of Caroline Bicks’s “Monsters in the Archives.”
From The Wall Street Journal • May 29, 2026
The White House has attributed the marks to the aspirin he takes as part of a "standard" cardiovascular health regimen.
From Barron's • May 26, 2026
But developing a new instructional regimen for complex high-stakes moon missions as the agency tries to aggressively ramp up Artemis launches from once every 3 1/2 years to every six months is a different beast.
From Los Angeles Times • May 20, 2026
"With sufficient justification, appropriate dosage form, and dosing regimen, creatine may eventually be recognized as an over-the-counter therapeutic agent rather than merely a dietary supplement."
From Science Daily • May 4, 2026
To some, such a regimen might seem simplistic or maddening, even schizophrenic.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
