register

1 of 3

noun (1)

reg·​is·​ter ˈre-jə-stər 

1

: a written record containing regular entries of items or details

2

a

: a book or system of public records

b

: a roster of qualified or available individuals

a civil service register

3

: an entry in a register

4

a

: a set of organ pipes of like quality : stop

b(1)

: the range of a human voice or a musical instrument

(2)

: a portion of such a range similarly produced or of the same quality

c

: any of the varieties of a language that a speaker uses in a particular social context

5

: a grille often with shutters for admitting heated air or for ventilation

6

: registration, registry

7

a

: an automatic device registering a number or a quantity

b

: a number or quantity so registered

c

: cash register

8

: a condition of correct alignment or proper relative position

9

: a device (as in a computer) for storing small amounts of data

especially : one in which data can be both stored and operated on

register

2 of 3

verb

registered; registering ˈre-jə-st(ə-)riŋ 

transitive verb

1

a

: to make or secure official entry of in a register

b

: to enroll formally especially as a voter or student

c

: to record automatically : indicate

d

: to make a record of : note

e

: perceive

also : comprehend

2

: to make or adjust so as to correspond exactly

3

: to secure special protection for (a piece of mail) by prepayment of a fee

4

: to convey an impression of : express

5

: achieve

registered an impressive victory

intransitive verb

1

a

: to enroll one's name in a register

registered at the hotel

b

: to enroll one's name officially as a prerequisite for voting

c

: to enroll formally as a student

2

a

: to correspond exactly

b

: to be in correct alignment or register

3

: to make or convey an impression

register

3 of 3

noun (2)

: registrar

Synonyms

Noun (1)

• canon
• catalog
• catalogue
• checklist
• list
• listing
• menu
• registry
• roll
• roll call
• roster
• schedule
• table

Verb

• enroll
• enrol
• inscribe
• list
• matriculate

Noun (2)

• clerk
• registrar
• scribe
• secretary

Examples of register in a Sentence

Verb

He registered the birth of his child.

She registered her new car.

The car was registered under my name.

The company registered its trademark.

Only 32 cases of the disease have been registered.

Did you register to vote?

She is busy registering the students.

Roast the meat for two hours or until the meat thermometer registers 140 degrees.

an earthquake that registered 6.3 on the Richter scale

The team finally registered a victory after losing three games in a row.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Haley Bowman headed to the register to check out just after 6:30 a.m. —Noah Alcala Bach, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 Apr. 2024

That includes impulsive spending at checkout registers and online, where consumers can securely store their credit card information. —Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2024

Then one of them allegedly took out a gun and ordered the clerk to empty his register. —Nate Gartrell, The Mercury News, 15 Mar. 2024

Dollar General has announced plans to completely remove the self-checkout stations in 300 locations and has begun converting some or all of the registers in another 9,000 stores. —Chris Morris, Fortune, 15 Mar. 2024

Critics and Muslim groups say the new citizenship law will help protect non-Muslims who are excluded from the register, while Muslims could face the threat of deportation or internment. —Sheikh Saaliq, The Christian Science Monitor, 12 Mar. 2024

The underwater call of the sperm whale, the earth’s loudest, registers at 230 decibels. —Clare Mulroy, USA TODAY, 3 Apr. 2024

According to the measure, the Defense Ministry will receive data on citizens ages 17 to 60, which are contained in various state registers, and individuals’ consent for the processing of personal data is not required. —Isabelle Khurshudyan, Washington Post, 2 Apr. 2024

In the register of insults that make absolutely no sense, Wicked Little Letters has a pretty good amount of them. —Maëlle Beauget-Uhl, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024

Verb

Any voter registered in either the 13th or 25th House Districts can vote in their respective special election Tuesday. —Arpan Lobo, Detroit Free Press, 16 Apr. 2024

My Personal Information | Ad Choices FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. —Alexa Mikhail, Fortune Well, 16 Apr. 2024

The deadline to register to vote in Indiana's primary election was April 8. —Brittany Carloni, The Indianapolis Star, 15 Apr. 2024

For a rockstar, a concert no-show and an ensuing riot may not register as a brand crisis. —Paul Fitzgerald, Rolling Stone, 15 Apr. 2024

More than 23,000 people in northeastern Nigeria are registered as missing with the Red Cross — globally, its second biggest caseload after Iraq. —Ruth MacLean, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2024

As of 2022, the 1.1 million EVs registered in California accounted for 37% of all electric cars in the U.S., according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. —William Gavin, Quartz, 12 Apr. 2024

Eleven people were registered to vote in the village’s most recent election. —Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 4 Apr. 2024

Mike Carlson / Getty Images file The newspaper reported that one of the cars is leased or registered to Rice. —Antonio Planas, NBC News, 4 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English registre, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin registrum, alteration of Late Latin regesta, plural, register, from Latin, neuter plural of regestus, past participle of regerere to bring back, pile up, collect, from re- + gerere to bear

Noun (2)

Middle English, probably alteration of registrer

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun (2)

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing register

• call/take the register
• cash register
• church register
• register office
• register ton
• re-register

Kids Definition

register

1 of 3 noun

reg·​is·​ter ˈrej-ə-stər 

1

a

: a written record or list of items

b

: a book for such a record

a register of deeds

2

: a part of the range of a human voice or a musical instrument made up of tones similarly produced or of the same quality

3

: a device (as in a floor or wall) that regulates the flow of heated air from a furnace

4

a

: an automatic device registering a number or a quantity

b

: a number or quantity registered by such a device

register

2 of 3 verb

registered; registering -st(ə-)riŋ 

1

a

: to record exactly and legally in a register

register a will

b

: to enroll especially as a voter or student

c

: to record automatically : indicate

the thermometer registered zero

2

: to get special protection for (a piece of mail) by prepayment of a fee

3

: to show by expression and bodily movements alone

your face registered surprise

4

: to write one's name in a register

register at a hotel

register for the draft

5

: to make an impression

your name didn't register with me

register

3 of 3 noun

: registrar

Legal Definition

register

1 of 2 noun

reg·​is·​ter ˈre-jə-stər 

1

: a written record containing regular entries of items or details

specifically : police register

2

a

: a book or system of public records (as titles or patents)

b

: a roster of qualified or available individuals

c

: the formal record maintained by a corporation of the names and addresses of holders of its registered securities

3

: registry

4

[probably alteration of Middle English registrer registrar] : registrar

register

2 of 2 verb

registered; registering

transitive verb

1

: to make or secure official entry of in a register

register a car

register a title

2

: to enroll formally especially as a voter or student

3

: to secure special protection for (a piece of mail) by prepayment of a fee

intransitive verb

1

: to enroll one's name in a register

2

: to enroll one's name officially as a prerequisite for voting

Etymology

Noun

Anglo-French registre, from Medieval Latin registrum, alteration of Late Latin regesta, pl., register, from Latin, neuter plural of regestus, past participle of regerere to bring back, pile up, collect