regimen

noun reg·i·men \ ˈre-jə-mən also ˈre-zhə- \

Updated on: 24 Apr 2018

Definition of regimen

1 a : a systematic plan (as of diet, therapy, or medication) especially when designed to improve and maintain the health of a patient

b : a regular course of action and especially of strenuous training

the daily regimen of athletes

2 : government, rule

3 : regime 1c

See regimen defined for English-language learners

See regimen defined for kids

regimen was our Word of the Day on 08/05/2017. Hear the podcast!

Examples of regimen in a Sentence

with the start of the new year, a new party will have regimen over the nation and, hopefully, bring some much-needed change

Recent Examples of regimen from the Web

Revitalizing your beauty regimen, which is getting easier by the day thanks to a bevy of brands putting sustainably sourced ingredients and environmentally conscious packaging first.

— ivana rihter, Vogue, "5 New, Eco-Friendly Beauty Brands, Just in Time for Earth Day," 21 Apr. 2018
But on a day in which several of his teammates stuck to the script — chronicling their offseason regimens, workouts, weight loss and the like — Ford deviated.

— sam mcdowell, kansascity, "Chiefs' Dee Ford says his leg went numb last year. But he feels ‘excellent’ now | The Kansas City Star," 16 Apr. 2018
Apart from tougher regulations, stricter testing regimens, too, could financially pressure vehicle importers.

— timothy puko, WSJ, "U.S. Looks to Protect Domestic Car Makers From Foreign Competition," 6 Apr. 2018
Get your daily antioxidant dose by incorporating True Botanicals Antioxidant Booster into your skin care regimen.

— janna mandell, San Francisco Chronicle, "Your skin’s secret (antioxidant) weapon? It starts with a C.," 6 Apr. 2018
Finding something to train for like an OCR will more than keep you on task with your fitness regimen.

— jason wanlass, idahostatesman, "Accept my challenge: Do an obstacle course race | Idaho Statesman," 5 Apr. 2018
Bentley underwent an intense chemotherapy regimen that included six weeks of proton therapy from Mayo Clinic, according to Brazlovitz.

— cydney henderson, azcentral, "Make-A-Wish surprises Gilbert boy with trip to Hawaii to swim with sea turtles," 27 Mar. 2018
One Italian study of 80 older people found that those who completed a 12-week strength regimen showed improved capacity for practical skills, whereas cardio training helped bolster them on analytic tasks.

— NBC News, "7 benefits of strength training that go way beyond building muscle," 8 Feb. 2018
That would be the daily regimen of gym, tan, laundry.

— nina metz, chicagotribune.com, "When a moment has passed: The 'Jersey Shore' revival and the art of pointlessness," 5 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'regimen.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Did You Know?

We borrowed "regimen" straight from Latin, spelling and all - but in Latin, the word simply meant "rule" or "government." In English, it usually refers to a system of rules or guidelines, often for living a healthy life or taking a regular dose of exercise. The Latin regimen derives from another Latin word, the verb "regere," which means "to lead straight" or "to rule." If you trace straight back from "regere," you'll find that "regimen" has plenty of lexical kin, including "correct," "erect," "region," "rule," and "surge." If you are using the "training" sense of "regimen," be careful not to confuse the word with "regiment," another "regere" descendant, which is used for a military unit.

Origin and Etymology of regimen

Middle English, from Medieval Latin regimin-, regimen position of authority, direction, set of rules, from Latin, steering, control, from regere to direct

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year