regency
noun
regency
American
[ree-juhn-see]
/ ˈri dʒən si /
noun
regencies
plural
-
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.
-
a body of regents.
-
a government consisting of regents.
-
the term of office of a regent.
-
(initial capital letter) the period (1811–20) during which George, Prince of Wales, later George IV, was regent.
-
(initial capital letter) the period of the minority of Louis XV.
-
the office or function of a regent or ruler.
adjective
-
of or relating to a regency.
-
History/Historical. of or relating to the Regencies in England or France.
-
(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
-
(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
-
(in France) the period of the regency of Philip, Duke of Orleans, during the minority of Louis XV (1715–23)
adjective
regency
2
British
/ ˈriːdʒənsɪ /
noun
-
government by a regent or a body of regents
-
the office of a regent or body of regents
-
a territory under the jurisdiction of a regent or body of regents
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of regency
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English word from Medieval Latin word rēgentia. See regent, -ency
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Margo Price said "Love to see it" while Kacey Musgraves workshopped a few puns around the regency of Crow.
From Salon ● Feb. 15, 2025
The plant is in the Bahodopi neighborhood of Morowali regency.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 25, 2023
On Wednesday, during a visit to Pekalongan regency in central Java, President Joko Widodo posted a video on the presidential YouTube channel urging the military to come forward and help farmers with the sowing.
From BBC ● Dec. 14, 2023
He said it had been bringing people from one village to another in Buton Central, a regency, or administrative district, in southeastern Sulawesi.
From New York Times ● Jul. 24, 2023
Some thought the regency would be ended at once, others were dubious.
From "The Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula K. Le Guin
"The landfill can accommodate up to 2,700 tons of waste per day, but that only covers 59% of the waste in Tangerang Regency," said Wahyu.
From BBC ● Jul. 8, 2026
Based on Janice Hadlow's novel of the same name, it focuses on Mary Bennet, the couple's seemingly unremarkable middle daughter as she navigates the societal pressures of Regency England.
From BBC ● Jun. 24, 2026
That preparation included lessons in calligraphy, horseback riding, piano and Regency dancing.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 30, 2026
Bruccoleri is soon summoned inside Dyffryn Gardens, where one of the rooms has been transformed into a Regency ballroom.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 30, 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
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
He may not live long, and then we have a regency before us, and the regencies of France have always been times of grievous trouble.
From Won By the Sword : a tale of the Thirty Years' War by Henty, G. A. (George Alfred)
The senate of Venice, the regencies of Holland, and the British Parliament have all abused it.
From Essays on the Constitution of the United States by Ford, Paul Leicester
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 Hallam, Henry
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
