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

Frenk told regents he was excited by the opportunity to help lift up students and the broader community through UCLA’s life-changing education, research and public service. —Teresa Watanabe, Los Angeles Times, 12 June 2024

Protesters have been calling for the University of Michigan to divest from Israel, which Acker and the other regents oppose; demonstrators showed up at Acker's home last month. —Niraj Warikoo, Detroit Free Press, 6 June 2024

Notably, the regents didn’t push back on Yormark’s call for investment. —Jon Wilner, The Mercury News, 6 June 2024

Huffman left the meeting feeling the regents probably counted on students not fully understanding the finer details of endowments. —Tribune News Service, Hartford Courant, 28 May 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