regent

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. One who rules during the minority, absence, or disability of a monarch.
2. n. One acting as a ruler or governor.
3. n. A member of a board that governs an institution, such as a state university.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. Ruling; governing.
2. Exercising vicarious authority: as, a prince regent.
3. Taking part in the government of a university.
4. n. A ruler; a governor: in a general sense.
5. n. One who is invested with vicarious authority; one who governs a kingdom in the minority, absence, or disability of the king. In most hereditary governments this office is regarded as belonging to the nearest relative of the sovereign capable of undertaking it; but this rule is subject to many modifications.
6. n. In the old universities, a master or doctor who takes part in the regular duties of instruction or government. At Cambridge all resident masters of arts of less than four years' standing, and all doctors of less than two, are regents. At Oxford the period of regency is shorter. At both universities those of a more advanced standing, who keep their names on the college books, are called non-regents. At Cambridge the regents compose the upper house and the non-regents the lower house of the senate, or governing body. At Oxford the regents compose the congregation, which confers degrees and does the ordinary business of the university. The regents and non-regents collectively compose the convocation, which is the governing body in the last resort.
7. n. In the State of New York, a member of the corporate body known as the University of the State of New York. The university is officially described as consisting “of all incorporated institutions of academic and higher education, with the State Library, State Museum, and such other libraries, museums, or other institutions for higher education in the state as may be admitted by the regents. … The regents have power to incorporate, and to alter or repeal the charters of colleges, academies, libraries, museums, or other educational institutions belonging to the University; to distribute to them all funds granted by the state for their use; to inspect their workings and require annual reports under oath of their presiding officers; to establish examinations as to attainments in learning, and confer on successful candidates suitable certificates, diplomas, and degrees, and to confer honorary degrees.”
8. To teach or superintend as a regent.
9. To direct or control (a person) as a regent.
10. To act as a regent of a university.

Wiktionary

1. n. One who rules in place of the monarch because the monarch is too young, absent, or disabled.
2. n. A member of governing board.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. adj. Ruling; governing; regnant.
2. adj. Exercising vicarious authority.
3. n. One who rules or reigns; a governor; a ruler.
4. n. Especially, one invested with vicarious authority; one who governs a kingdom in the minority, absence, or disability of the sovereign.
5. n. One of a governing board; a trustee or overseer; a superintendent; a curator.
6. n. (Eng.Univ.) A resident master of arts of less than five years' standing, or a doctor of less than twwo. They were formerly privileged to lecture in the schools.

WordNet 3.0

1. adj. acting or functioning as a regent or ruler
2. n. someone who rules during the absence or incapacity or minority of the country's monarch
3. n. members of a governing board