regulator

American  

[reg-yuh-lay-ter] / ˈrɛg jəˌleɪ tər /

noun

• regulators
  plural

1. a person or thing that regulates.

2. Horology.

   1. an adjustable device in a clock or a watch for making it go faster or slower.

   2. a master clock, usually of great accuracy, against which other clocks are checked.

3. Machinery.

   1. a governor mechanism for regulating the flow of fuel, steam, etc., to an engine in order to maintain constant speed under varying load or resistance.

   2. a valve for regulating the pressure of flowing gas or liquid to maintain a predetermined pressure.

   3. any of various mechanisms for maintaining a temperature, a level of liquid in a tank, etc.

4. Electricity. a device for maintaining a designated characteristic, as voltage or current, at a predetermined value, or for varying it according to a predetermined plan.

5. a device on scuba equipment for regulating the rate at which compressed air is fed through a breathing tube in proportion to the depth of water.

6. a device for maintaining a constant gas pressure.

7. (initial capital letter)

   1. a member of any of several bands or committees in North Carolina (1767–71), formed to resist certain abuses, as extortion by officials.

   2. (in newly settled areas) a member of any band or committee organized to preserve order before the establishment of regular legal authority.

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regulator British  

/ ˈrɛɡjʊˌleɪtə /

noun

1. a person or thing that regulates

2. the mechanism, including the hairspring and the balance wheel, by which the speed of a timepiece is regulated

3. a timepiece, known to be accurate, by which others are timed and regulated

4. any of various mechanisms or devices, such as a governor valve, for controlling fluid flow, pressure, temperature, voltage, etc

5. Also called: regulator gene. a gene the product of which controls the synthesis of a product from another gene

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• regulators
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of regulator

First recorded in 1645–55; regulate + -or ²

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Explanation

A regulator is a device that maintains a certain state in a system or machine. Scuba divers use a special diving regulator that keeps the gas pressure steady so they can breathe while underwater. The job of a regulator is to regulate, or control. In a mechanical sense, this means keeping things like power, pressure, speed, or temperature at a steady, regular level. If a person has the job title of regulator, they’re a government official who’s responsible for upholding standards (or regulations) meant to protect the public. A regulator might inspect food, for example, to make sure it’s safe to eat. The Latin root, regula, means "rule."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

regulator regulators

But some MPs think it is time for a new approach, and a group of them will meet the regulator later on Wednesday.

From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2026

The regulator said if people use the glasses to share a photo or video on a public social media account or in official or professional activities, they must adhere to those rules.

From Barron's ● Oct. 13, 2026

Bankman-Fried supported a proposal to make the Commodity Futures Trading Commission “the model regulator for digital assets.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 13, 2026

The SLC7A11 transporter appears to be an important regulator of this process.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 10, 2026

This would make sense if the atmospheric regulator were on, but I'd cut power to it.

From "The Martian" by Andy Weir

Walter may need more than $20 billion to satisfy regulators by recapitalizing insurance companies.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026

The U.K. remains attractive for firms looking to develop and deploy AI, with fairly light regulators and open capital markets, Kallum Pickering, chief economist at broker Peel Hunt, said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026

The settlement follows a December 2024 cease-and-desist order from US regulators that hit BofA for "unsafe or unsound practices," including failure to timely file suspicious activity reports.

From Barron's ● Oct. 14, 2026

"Our team is far along with and committed to completing the work required to address the issues raised by our regulators," Bank of America told the BBC.

From BBC ● Oct. 14, 2026

Soon after Cornwall Capital laid their chips on the table, Capital One was vindicated by its regulators, its stock price shot up, and Cornwall Capital’s $26,000 option position was worth $526,000.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis

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