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• regency
  regency

  noun

  the office, jurisdiction, or control of a regent or body of regents exercising the ruling power during the minority, absence, or disability of a sovereign.
• Regency
  Regency

  noun

  (in the United Kingdom) the period (1811–20) during which the Prince of Wales (later George IV) acted as regent during his father's periods of insanity

regency

American  

[ree-juhn-see] / ˈri dʒən si /

noun

regencies plural

1. the office, jurisdiction, or control of a regent or body of regents exercising the ruling power during the minority, absence, or disability of a sovereign.

2. a body of regents.

3. a government consisting of regents.

4. a territory under the control of a regent or regents.

5. the term of office of a regent.

6. (initial capital letter) the period (1811–20) during which George, Prince of Wales, later George IV, was regent.

7. (initial capital letter) the period of the minority of Louis XV.

8. the office or function of a regent or ruler.

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adjective

1. of or relating to a regency.

2. History/Historical. of or relating to the Regencies in England or France.

3. (often initial capital letter) of or relating to the style of architecture, furnishings, and decoration of the British Regency, somewhat similar to the French Directoire and Empire styles and characterized by close imitation of ancient Greek forms as well as by less frequent and looser adaptations of ancient Roman, Gothic, Chinese, and ancient Egyptian forms.

Regency ¹ British  

/ ˈriːdʒənsɪ /

noun

1. (in the United Kingdom) the period (1811–20) during which the Prince of Wales (later George IV) acted as regent during his father's periods of insanity

2. (in France) the period of the regency of Philip, Duke of Orleans, during the minority of Louis XV (1715–23)

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adjective

1. characteristic of or relating to the Regency periods in France or the United Kingdom or to the styles of architecture, furniture, art, literature, etc, produced in them

regency ² British  

/ ˈriːdʒənsɪ /

noun

1. government by a regent or a body of regents

2. the office of a regent or body of regents

3. a territory under the jurisdiction of a regent or body of regents

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• regencies
  plural

Etymology

Origin of regency

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English word from Medieval Latin word rēgentia. See regent, -ency

Example Sentences

Regency Theatres took over the Village Theatre and its neighboring film venue, the Bruin, in 2010.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 3, 2026

“She’s really not your average Regency heroine,” Quintrell says.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 30, 2026

The same thing happened to me at the Hyatt Regency LAX.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026

Tehreem has attended Bridgerton-themed events in Toronto, where she met other fans of the show and felt "immersed in Regency world".

From BBC • Feb. 6, 2026

The taxi stops and I assume we’ve arrived, but then I peer out at what looks like a grander version of the Hyatt Regency.

From "The Joy Luck Club" by Amy Tan