regent
[ree-juh nt]
- a person who exercises the ruling power in a kingdom during the minority, absence, or disability of the sovereign.
- a ruler or governor.
- a member of the governing board of a state university or a state educational system.
- a university officer who exercises general supervision over the conduct and welfare of the students.
- (in certain Catholic universities) a member of the religious order who is associated in the administration of a school or college with a layperson who is its dean or director.
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- acting as regent of a country; exercising ruling authority in behalf of a sovereign during his or her minority, absence, or disability (usually used postpositively): a prince regent.
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Origin of regent
1350–1400; Middle English < Latin regent- (stem of regēns), present participle of regere to rule
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for regent
Contemporary Examples
The Regent movie theater, Albee Square Mall, and [record store] Beat Street are all gone.
Big Daddy Kane: The Hip-Hop MC on Las Supper, Madonna, Jay-Z, and What’s NextCurtis Stephen
April 16, 2013
During his gubernatorial run in 2009, McDonnell saw his graduate thesis from Regent University emerge—and receive some scrutiny.
Among them Mica Mosbacher, who is now a regent at the University of Houston.
“[Regent] taught me the real importance of being a Christian elected official,” he remarked.
Historical Examples
Louville was the secret agent whom the Regent determined to send.
The Memoirs of Louis XIV., His Court and The Regency, CompleteDuc de Saint-Simon
I was the first who had the 'grandes entrees' from the Regent.
The Memoirs of Louis XIV., His Court and The Regency, CompleteDuc de Saint-Simon
It was in vain; the Regent wished it; obedience was necessary.
The Memoirs of Louis XIV., His Court and The Regency, CompleteDuc de Saint-Simon
These questions were communicated to the Regent by the King's officers.
The Memoirs of Louis XIV., His Court and The Regency, CompleteDuc de Saint-Simon
The Regent attacked me more than once, but I always eluded him.
The Memoirs of Louis XIV., His Court and The Regency, CompleteDuc de Saint-Simon
regent
- the ruler or administrator of a country during the minority, absence, or incapacity of its monarch
- (formerly) a senior teacher or administrator in any of certain universities
- US and Canadian a member of the governing board of certain schools and colleges
- rare any person who governs or rules
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- (usually postpositive) acting or functioning as a regenta queen regent
- rare governing, ruling, or controlling
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Word Origin
C14: from Latin regēns ruling, from regere to rule
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for regent
n.
"one who rules during the minority or absence of a sovereign," c.1400, from the adjective (now archaic, attested in English late 14c.), from Old French regent and directly from Medieval Latin regentem (nominative regens), from Latin regens "ruler, governor," noun use of present participle of regere "to rule, direct" (see regal). Senses of "university faculty member" is attested from mid-15c., originally Scottish.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper