register

American  

[rej-uh-ster] / ˈrɛdʒ ə stər /

noun

• registers
  plural

1. a book in which records of acts, events, names, etc., are kept.

   Synonyms:

   archive, ledger, record

2. a list or record of such acts, events, etc.

   Synonyms:

   annals, schedule, chronicle, catalog, roster, roll

3. an entry in such a book, record, or list.

4. an official document issued to a merchant ship as evidence of its nationality.

5. registration or registry.

6. a mechanical device by which certain data are automatically recorded.

7. cash register.

8. Music.

   1. the compass or range of a voice or an instrument.

   2. a part of this range produced in the same way and having the same quality.

      the head register;

      the upper register of the clarinet.

   3. (in an organ) a stop.

9. a device for controlling the flow of warmed air or the like through an opening, as from a duct to an interior, composed of a number of narrow, parallel blades, usually behind a grating, that may be adjusted so as to overlap and close the opening.

10. Photography. proper relationship between two plane surfaces in photography, as corresponding plates in photoengraving.

11. Printing.

    1. a precise adjustment or correspondence, as of lines, columns, etc., especially on the two sides of a leaf.

    2. correct relation or exact superimposition, as of colors in color printing.

12. a bookmark, especially a ribbon attached to the spine of a book.

13. Linguistics. a variety of language typically used in a specific type of communicative setting.

    an informal register;

    the register of scientific discourse.

14. Computers. a high-speed storage location in the CPU, used to store a related string of bits, as a word or phrase.

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verb (used with object)

• registers,
  present (3rd person singular)
• registered,
  past participle,  past
• registering
  present participle

1. to enter or cause to be entered formally in a register.

   Synonyms:

   chronicle, catalog, record, list, enroll

2. to cause (mail) to be recorded upon delivery to a post office for safeguarding against loss, theft, damage, etc., during transmission.

3. to enroll (a student, voter, etc.) in a school or course of study, on the voting rolls, etc.

4. to indicate by a record, as instruments do.

   The thermometer registered 102 degrees today.

5. to indicate or show, as on a scale.

6. Printing. to adjust so as to secure exact correspondence; cause to be in register.

7. Military. to adjust (fire) on a known point.

8. to show (surprise, joy, anger, etc.), as by facial expression or by actions.

   Synonyms:

   evince, demonstrate

9. to document (a merchant ship engaged in foreign trade) by issuing a certificate of registry.

verb (used without object)

• registers,
  present (3rd person singular)
• registered,
  past participle,  past
• registering
  present participle

1. to enter one's name or cause it to be entered in a register; enroll.

   to register at a motel.

2. to apply for and obtain inclusion of one's name on the list of voters.

3. to enroll in a school or course of study.

   I've registered for three English classes.

4. Printing. to be in register.

5. to show.

   A broad smile registered on his face.

6. to have some effect; make some impression.

   My plea didn't register on him at all.

register British  

/ ˈrɛdʒɪstə /

noun

1. an official or formal list recording names, events, or transactions

2. the book in which such a list is written

3. an entry in such a list

4. a recording device that accumulates data, totals sums of money, etc

   a cash register

5. a movable plate that controls the flow of air into a furnace, chimney, room, etc

6. computing one of a set of word-sized locations in the central processing unit in which items of data are placed temporarily before they are operated on by program instructions

7. music

   1. the timbre characteristic of a certain manner of voice production See head voice chest voice

   2. any of the stops on an organ as classified in respect of its tonal quality

      the flute register

8. printing

   1. the correct alignment of the separate plates in colour printing

   2. the exact correspondence of lines of type, columns, etc, on the two sides of a printed sheet of paper

9. a form of a language associated with a particular social situation or subject matter, such as obscene slang, legal language, or journalese

10. the act or an instance of registering

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verb

1. (tr) to enter or cause someone to enter (an event, person's name, ownership, etc) on a register; formally record

2. to show or be shown on a scale or other measuring instrument

   the current didn't register on the meter

3. to show or be shown in a person's face, bearing, etc

   his face registered surprise

4. (intr) to have an effect; make an impression

   the news of her uncle's death just did not register

5. to send (a letter, package, etc) by registered post

6. (tr) printing to adjust (a printing press, forme, etc) to ensure that the printed matter is in register

7. (of a mechanical part) to align (with another part)

8. military to bring (a gun) to bear on its target by adjustment according to the accuracy of observed single rounds

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• registerer
  noun
• registrability
  noun
• misregister
  verb
• reregister
  verb
• preregister
  verb (used with or without object)
• nonregistrable
  adjective
• registerable
  adjective
• registrable
  adjective
• unregistrable
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• registers
  plural

Participles

• registering
  present
• registered
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• register
  simple
• registers
  simple
• have registered
  perfect
• has registered
  perfect
• am registering
  progressive
• are registering
  progressive
• is registering
  progressive
• have been registering
  perfect progressive
• has been registering
  perfect progressive

Past

• registered
  simple
• had registered
  perfect
• was registering
  progressive
• were registering
  progressive
• had been registering
  perfect progressive

Future

• will register
  simple
• will have registered
  perfect
• will be registering
  progressive
• will have been registering
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of register

First recorded in 1350–1400; (for the noun) Middle English registre, from Middle French, Old French, from Medieval Latin regestrum, registrum, alteration of Late Latin regesta “catalog, list,” noun use of neuter plural of Latin regestus “carried back, collected,” past participle of regerere “to carry back, pile up, collect,” from re- re- + gerere “to carry, conduct, display”; (for the verb) Middle English registren, from Middle French registrer, from Medieval Latin registrāre, derivative of regestrum, registrum

Explanation

Register has several meanings, but one of the most common is to write down or record officially. Like registering your car with the DMV and registering for classes at the beginning of a semester. Someone needs to register all the ways you can use the word register: As a noun it means the actual book that you record things in. But a register is also the range of sound your voice can make, and that thing the checkout lady uses to ring up your grocery bill. As a verb, register means to mark down officially or sign up, but also to show emotion: if cats and dogs rain from the sky, your face will likely register a look of disbelief.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

register registers registered registering

That includes Brian Madjo after Villa won their battle with Fifa to register the 17-year-old earlier this month.

From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026

Chud’s goofy name didn’t register with the man until I explained exactly who Eatherly was.

From Slate ● Aug. 20, 2026

And culture shock: At one point in New York, Isaac Mtshali, the drummer, asks, “when do we have to go to register with the police?”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

In another context, a president being quietly transferred between aircraft in a service vehicle might register as little more than a piece of security choreography — unusual, perhaps, but hardly ready-made for farce.

From Salon ● Aug. 12, 2026

We stood by the cash register until Abby’s dad exited the kitchen wearing a stained apron and a backward baseball cap.

From "Hope Springs" by Jaime Berry

First the lyric, "I don't care what people say, it's true", in high and low registers.

From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026

That day, like most days, the 60-year-old Barzar was assigned to the self-checkout area, a cluster of six registers.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026

Trademarks, unlike copyrights or patents, are intellectual property that are not premised on creating value for whoever registers them; they’re about protecting consumers.

From Salon ● Jul. 7, 2026

It is unclear when Daniel Greenberg -- the parliamentary commissioner for standards, who investigates alleged breaches of the MPs' code of conduct and registers -- will rule on his findings.

From Barron's ● Jul. 6, 2026

“Valentin knows a store where they speak Spanish. He will take me there. It probably sells dresses for girls, too. Get Concha to take you the day she registers our first letter to Mamá.”

From "Lupita Mañana" by Patricia Beatty

The poll surveyed 4,207 registered voters in California from Aug. 3 to 9, online in English and Spanish, and has an estimated margin of error of about 2.5 percentage points in either direction.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026

Hong Kong and Singapore registered milder growth rates of 0.5% and 2.3%, respectively.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026

Netflix has registered "Kpop Demon Hunters" as a trademark for a number of merchandise uses, with other applications pending.

From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026

Several municipalities under the control of criminal gangs lack voter registration centers, and as of Monday, nearly a month after opening, only about 260,000 people have registered to vote.

From Barron's ● Aug. 19, 2026

Then, at age five and three quarters, I was registered for the first grade at Gibbs Elementary School.

From "March Forward, Girl" by Melba Pattillo Beals

A band of protestors in flip-flops thrash on aluminum pans, registering their anger with the blackouts, moving quickly to avoid the police.

From Barron's ● Aug. 18, 2026

Cherki was one of the standout players in City's squad last season, registering four goals and 12 assists in 33 Premier League matches - the second highest number of assists in the division.

From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026

I think people enjoy registering disapproval of his leadership, whether they voted for him or not.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026

With more than 12 million people registering for 2028 Olympics tickets, even getting a chance to browse the ticket shelves was hard to come by.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 7, 2026

He explained that the civilian defense commission was registering boats that might be available in the event of an evacuation.

From "Snow Falling on Cedars: A Novel" by David Guterson

Related Words

• enroll
• file
• join
• list
• record
• sign up