Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

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

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To teach or superintend as a regent.
  • To direct or control (a person) as a regent.
  • To act as a regent of a university.
  • Ruling; governing.
  • Exercising vicarious authority: as, a prince regent.
  • Taking part in the government of a university.
  • noun A ruler; a governor: in a general sense.
  • noun One who is invested with vicarious authority; one who governs a kingdom in the minority, absence, or disability of the king.
  • noun In the old universities, a master or doctor who takes part in the regular duties of instruction or government.
  • noun In the State of New York, a member of the corporate body known as the University of the State of New York.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun One who rules or reigns; a governor; a ruler.
  • noun Especially, one invested with vicarious authority; one who governs a kingdom in the minority, absence, or disability of the sovereign.
  • noun One of a governing board; a trustee or overseer; a superintendent; a curator.
  • noun (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.
  • noun (Zoöl.) a beautiful Australian bower bird (Sericulus melinus). The male has the head, neck, and large patches on the wings, bright golden yellow, and the rest of the plumage deep velvety black; -- so called in honor of the Prince of Wales (afterward George IV.), who was Prince Regent in the reign of George III.
  • noun the members of a corporate body called the University of New York. They have a certain supervisory power over the incorporated institution for Academic and higher education in the State.
  • adjective Ruling; governing; regnant.
  • adjective Exercising vicarious authority.
  • adjective See under Queen, n.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

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

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective acting or functioning as a regent or ruler
  • noun someone who rules during the absence or incapacity or minority of the country's monarch
  • noun members of a governing board

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin regēns, regent-, ruler, from present participle of regere, to rule; see reg- in Indo-European roots.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Old French regent, from Latin regēns ("ruling, as a noun, a ruler, governor, prince"); present participle of regō ("I govern, I steer").

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Examples

  • Portia Cue plays the title regent of the diminutive planet, with John Benzinger portraying the Aviator.

    Creative Loafing Atlanta Feed 2008

  • “And I have relieved Professor Karuw of the title of regent and assumed her duties and powers.”

    Genesis Force John Vornholt 2003

  • The army of our liege lord is now in the Lothians, passing through them under the appellation of succors for the regent from the Hebrides!

    The Scottish Chiefs 1875

  • "No, no," returned the shepherd; "and besides," said he, "as I hear the good lord regent is keeping the new year with our noble earl, who knows but I may get a glimpse of his noble countenance, and that will be a sight to tell of till I die!"

    The Scottish Chiefs 1875

  • But, "added he, with a smile," we need not disturb ourselves with such thoughts – the regent is in our prince's confidence; and did this accusation relate to him, he would not, on such a plea, have arraigned me as a traitor. "

    The Scottish Chiefs 1875

  • Marie-Antoinette, born on the day of the Lisbon earthquake, had arrived at court much like her great-grandmother Madame the regent was her great-uncle.

    THE DIAMOND JULIE BAUMGOLD 2005

  • Marie-Antoinette, born on the day of the Lisbon earthquake, had arrived at court much like her great-grandmother Madame the regent was her great-uncle.

    THE DIAMOND JULIE BAUMGOLD 2005

  • Marie-Antoinette, born on the day of the Lisbon earthquake, had arrived at court much like her great-grandmother Madame the regent was her great-uncle.

    THE DIAMOND JULIE BAUMGOLD 2005

  • "Sarronnyn is rebuilding the old garrison at Westwind " the Duke of Hydolar died of the flux, and the regent is another White Wizard, a fellow named Gorsuch.

    The Magic Engineer Modesitt, L. E. 1994

  • The palace of the regent is a massive structure, completely surrounded by beautiful gardens; and just beneath the windows where we sat I noticed a picturesque little lake, about which were sporting joyously at the evening hour a group of the young maidens of the palace.

    Lippincott's Magazine of Popular Literature and Science, Vol. 12, No. 32, November, 1873 Various

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