regulator

[reg-yuh-ley-ter]

noun

1. a person or thing that regulates.

2. Horology.

   1. an adjustable device in a clock or a watch for making it go faster or slower.

   2. a master clock, usually of great accuracy, against which other clocks are checked.

3. Machinery.

   1. a governor mechanism for regulating the flow of fuel, steam, etc., to an engine in order to maintain constant speed under varying load or resistance.

   2. a valve for regulating the pressure of flowing gas or liquid to maintain a predetermined pressure.

   3. any of various mechanisms for maintaining a temperature, a level of liquid in a tank, etc.

4. Electricity.,  a device for maintaining a designated characteristic, as voltage or current, at a predetermined value, or for varying it according to a predetermined plan.

5. a device on scuba equipment for regulating the rate at which compressed air is fed through a breathing tube in proportion to the depth of water.

6. a device for maintaining a constant gas pressure.

7. (initial capital letter)

   1. a member of any of several bands or committees in North Carolina (1767–71), formed to resist certain abuses, as extortion by officials.

   2. (in newly settled areas) a member of any band or committee organized to preserve order before the establishment of regular legal authority.

regulator

/ ˈrɛɡjʊˌleɪtə /

noun

1. a person or thing that regulates

2. the mechanism, including the hairspring and the balance wheel, by which the speed of a timepiece is regulated

3. a timepiece, known to be accurate, by which others are timed and regulated

4. any of various mechanisms or devices, such as a governor valve, for controlling fluid flow, pressure, temperature, voltage, etc

5. Also called: regulator gene. a gene the product of which controls the synthesis of a product from another gene

Word History and Origins

Origin of regulator¹

First recorded in 1645–55; regulate + -or ²

Example Sentences

State regulators have been conducting a competitive bid process for up to three downstate licenses.

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For example, Texas regulators had cited Tricolor more than 130 times between 2019 and 2022, including for selling cars for which it didn’t hold title.

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But bills went up by 2% for millions of people in England, Wales and Scotland under energy regulator Ofgem's latest price cap this month.

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But Williamson said Ofqual, the exams regulator, was responsible for some of the fiasco, saying that if he had pushed them to use teacher-assessed grades in the first place, they would have "resigned".

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Companies can submit remedies such as divesting business units or making investment commitments over a set period to alleviate the regulator’s concerns.

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Related Words

• manager