regent

American  

[ree-juhnt] / ˈri dʒənt /

noun

1. a person who exercises the ruling power in a kingdom during the minority, absence, or disability of the sovereign.

2. a ruler or governor.

3. a member of the governing board of a state university or a state educational system.

4. a university officer who exercises general supervision over the conduct and welfare of the students.

5. (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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adjective

1. acting as regent of a country; exercising ruling authority on behalf of a sovereign during their minority, absence, or disability (usually used postpositively).

   a prince regent.

regent British  

/ ˈriːdʒənt /

noun

1. the ruler or administrator of a country during the minority, absence, or incapacity of its monarch

2. (formerly) a senior teacher or administrator in any of certain universities

3. a member of the governing board of certain schools and colleges

4. rare any person who governs or rules

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adjective

1. (usually postpositive) acting or functioning as a regent

   a queen regent

2. rare governing, ruling, or controlling

Other Word Forms

• regental adjective
• regentship noun
• subregent noun

Etymology

Origin of regent

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin regent- (stem of regēns ), present participle of regere “to rule”

Example Sentences

But Milliken, backed by the UC regents, resisted calls for confrontation, wary of provoking retaliation against the nine other system campuses also under investigation.

From Salon

It then details a review process that starts with a department chair and can go all the way up to the board of regents, the system’s governing board.

From The Wall Street Journal

James ruled Scotland as king first under a series of regents and then, for decades, in his own right.

From The Wall Street Journal

The University of California board of regents voted Wednesday to renew a “tuition stability” that will hike tuition by up to 5% for each new incoming class.

From Los Angeles Times

Not only did the University of California regents rebuff the stadium bid, they also decreed that no structure built on the Drake Stadium footprint could later be enlarged into a football stadium.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• ruler