regent
regent Lexical Profile
regent Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A person appointed to administer a state or kingdom because the monarch is a minor, absent, or incapacitated.
"Because the newly crowned king was only six years old, his uncle served as regent until he came of age."
North American A member of the governing board of a state university, public school system, or other educational institution.
"The board of regents voted unanimously to approve the construction of the new campus science center."
• adjective
Acting as ruler of a kingdom or state during the absence, minority, or incapacity of the sovereign (usually placed immediately after the noun).
"The prince regent assumed full royal authority while the king recovered from his illness."
Word Nuance & Usage
When used as an adjective, 'regent' is almost exclusively postpositive, meaning it is placed immediately after the noun it modifies (as in 'prince regent' or 'queen regent').
• Rhymes for regent
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in Middle English from Old French and directly from Latin regentem, the present participle of regere ('to rule, direct, or govern'), which comes from the Proto-Indo-European root *reg- ('to move in a straight line').