regent
[ ree-juh nt ]
/ ˈri dʒənt /
noun
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.
adjective
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.
Nearby words
Origin of regent
1350–1400; Middle English < Latin regent- (stem of regēns), present participle of regere to rule
Related formsre·gent·al, adjectivere·gent·ship, nounsub·re·gent, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for regent
British Dictionary definitions for regent
regent
/ (ˈriːdʒənt) /
noun
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
adjective
(usually postpositive) acting or functioning as a regenta queen regent
rare governing, ruling, or controlling
Derived Formsregental, adjectiveregentship, noun
Word Origin for regent
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
regent
"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.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper