regent

noun

re·​gent ˈrē-jənt 

1

: a person who governs a kingdom in the minority, absence, or disability of the sovereign

2

: a person who rules or reigns : governor

3

: a member of a governing board (as of a state university)

regent adjective

regental

ˈrē-jən-tᵊl 

adjective

Examples of regent in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Janet Reilly, the chair of UC’s board of regents, plans to soon appoint a committee that will begin a national search for the system’s next president. —Michael Burke, The Mercury News, 31 July 2024

At least the regents in mid-July partially banned this practice, though. —Thomas Elias, The Mercury News, 9 Aug. 2024

Some regents questioned the difficulty of quickly implementing such a broad training requirement across the entire system. —Dillon Mullan, Baltimore Sun, 1 Aug. 2024

The protesters have called for the university to divest from Israel, which university regents oppose. —Niraj Warikoo, Detroit Free Press, 18 June 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French or Medieval Latin; Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin regent-, regens, from Latin, present participle of regere to direct — more at right

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing regent

• vice-regent

Kids Definition

regent

noun

re·​gent ˈrē-jənt 

1

: a person who governs a kingdom when a monarch is not able to

2

: a member of a governing group (as of a state university)

regent adjective

Etymology

Middle English regent "one who governs," from early French regent or Latin regent-, regens (both, same meaning), from earlier Latin regens, a form of the verb regere "to lead straight, govern, rule" — related to rail entry 1, regulate, rule