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

When Maduko was finally suspended in April, many regents learned the news on my website, Daily Ructions, rather than from their board leaders. — Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 26 Sep. 2026

But the new direction caused misgivings for some conservative supporters of the institution, such as Graves, who joined the regents as one of the three Republican congressional appointees in 2023. — Alec MacGillis, ProPublica, 24 Sep. 2026

The final evaluation of those materials was left to the Board of Regents, whose eight members include seven executives from the private-equity, construction, and oil-and-gas industries; only one regent has a background in education. — Benjamin Wofford, New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2026

Newsom rejected a similar bill in 2024, after UC regents reversed their support for the policy and as fears grew that the state could face federal repercussions by justifying the hiring under a theory developed by UCLA legal scholars. — Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 21 Sep. 2026

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