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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

Inflected Forms

noun

• 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

"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

There is no specific number of how many maleos are left in Mamuju regency or in West Sulawesi region.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 6, 2023

"Was it the regency? Has my brother named you Protector?"

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