regent

noun

re·​gent ˈrē-jənt How to pronounce regent (audio)
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 How to pronounce regent (audio)
adjective

Examples of regent in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Partially funded by the federal government, the institution is governed by a board of regents, which does not have presidential appointees and can’t be purged in the way that the board of the Kennedy Center was. — Kelsey Ables, The Atlantic, 25 July 2026 The admissions board will then turn to high school course requirements, submitting an initial report to the council in May 2027; the regents would take up any course changes at an unspecified later date. — Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 23 July 2026 Galloway will not earn a salary, nor do UC regents have a residency requirement. — Lia Russell july 22, Sacbee.com, 22 July 2026 Within the span of a year, Michigan could have a new football coach, a new men’s basketball coach, a new president, a new configuration of its board of regents and a new athletic director. — Austin Meek, New York Times, 21 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for regent

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of regent was in the 15th century

Phrases Containing regent

Browse Nearby Words

Regensburg
regent
regent bird
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Regent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/regent. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

regent

noun
re·​gent ˈrē-jənt How to pronounce regent (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on regent

Nglish: Translation of regent for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

How long is a jiffy?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All