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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

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Etymology

Origin of regency

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

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

regency Regency regencies

Formed in 2022, the "Mamas", as they call themselves, are spread over a dozen villages in the Ketapang regency of rural Kalimantan -- the name for Indonesia's part of Borneo.

From Barron's ● Sep. 30, 2026

"You get to spend so much time together on this glamorous British regency show where you're not meant to be there, and we are, and that is such a beautiful thing."

From BBC ● Feb. 26, 2026

Margo Price said "Love to see it" while Kacey Musgraves workshopped a few puns around the regency of Crow.

From Salon ● Feb. 15, 2025

If the king later recovered, the regency could be ended by a declaration of “cessation of incapacity.”

From New York Times ● Feb. 6, 2024

Joffrey is but twelve, and Robert gave you the regency, my lofd.

From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin

The Mahatir Mohammad Zain Foundation, a disaster relief NGO, said the 51-year-old volunteer passed away after falling ill with chest tightness while helping fight a fire in the Barito Kuala Regency.

From Barron's ● Oct. 22, 2026

The first series focused on Mary, the couple's seemingly unremarkable middle daughter as she navigates the societal pressures of Regency England.

From BBC ● Sep. 21, 2026

Meanwhile, the shuttle to the nearby Hyatt Regency LAX passed by five times, with a giant sticker saying guests at the other two airport Hyatts couldn’t hop on.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026

Regency continued to operate the two locations until its lease ended in 2024.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 3, 2026

Then he dragged Felix across the lobby and outside to his favorite small patch of grass near the Grand Regency sign.

From "Millionaires for the Month" by Stacey McAnulty

In East Java, where fires have ravaged several regencies and conservation areas including Mount Bromo and the Baluran National Park, the governor urged communities to come together to "pray for rain".

From Barron's ● Oct. 22, 2026

They were spotted entering the regencies of Lhokseumawe, East Aceh, Pidie, Aceh Besar and Sabang in north Aceh province.

From Seattle Times ● Dec. 20, 2023

There were in that period two regencies, two emperors, and no less than 74 presidents and acting presidents.

From Time Magazine Archive

The regencies of our cities, and among others Amsterdam, seem to take part with the Court, which is allied with and friendly to England.

From The Diplomatic Correspondence of the American Revolution, Vol. IX by Jared Sparks

These do not however bear a very close analogy to regencies in the stricter sense, or substitutions during the natural incapacity of the sovereign.

From View of the State of Europe during the Middle Ages, Vol. 3 by Henry Hallam

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