regent
|re-gent|
/ˈriːdʒənt/
rules on behalf of the sovereign
Etymology
'regent' originates from Latin, specifically the present-participle 'regens' of the verb 'regere', where the root 'reg-' meant 'to rule'.
'regent' entered English via Medieval Latin 'regent-' and Old French 'regent', meaning 'ruling', and eventually became the modern English word 'regent'.
Initially it meant 'ruling' (the participle sense), but over time it evolved into the noun meaning 'a person who rules on behalf of the sovereign'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a person appointed to govern a state because the monarch is a minor, absent, or incapacitated; someone who rules in place of the sovereign.
When the king was a child, a council of nobles appointed a regent to rule until he came of age.
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Noun 2
a member of a governing board (often of a university or public institution), e.g. a member of a board of regents.
She was appointed as a regent of the state university and now helps oversee its policies and budget.
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Last updated: 2026/01/13 21:17