Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A person or group selected to govern in place of a monarch or other ruler who is absent, disabled, or still in minority.
  • noun The period during which a regent governs.
  • noun The office, area of jurisdiction, or government of regents or a regent.
  • adjective Of, relating to, or characteristic of the style, especially in furniture, prevalent in England during the regency (1811–1820) of George, Prince of Wales (later George IV).
  • adjective Of, relating to, or characteristic of the style prevalent in France during the regency (1715–1723) of Philippe, Duc d'Orléans (1674–1723).
  • adjective Of or relating to a regency.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun Rule; authority; government.
  • noun More specifically, the office, government, or jurisdiction of a regent; deputed or vicarious government. See regent, 2.
  • noun The district under the jurisdiction of a regent or vicegerent.
  • noun The body of men intrusted with vicarious government: as, a regency constituted during a king's minority, insanity, or absence from the kingdom.
  • noun The existence of a regent's rule; also, the period during which a regent administers the government.
  • noun The office of a university regent, or master regent.
  • noun The municipal administration of certain towns in northern Europe.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun The office of ruler; rule; authority; government.
  • noun Especially, the office, jurisdiction, or dominion of a regent or vicarious ruler, or of a body of regents; deputed or vicarious government.
  • noun A body of men intrusted with vicarious government.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A system of government that substitutes for the reign of a king or queen when that king or queen becomes unable to rule.
  • noun The time during which a regent is in power.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun the period of time during which a regent governs
  • noun the office of a regent
  • noun the period from 1811-1820 when the Prince of Wales was regent during George III's periods of insanity

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Latin rex/regere, and English abstract-noun suffix -ency.

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Examples

  • Thus Tzu Hsi began her third regency, if you can use the word regency for assuming the full rights of government.

    The Pawprints of History STANLEY COREN 2002

  • Thus Tzu Hsi began her third regency, if you can use the word regency for assuming the full rights of government.

    The Pawprints of History STANLEY COREN 2002

  • Thus Tzu Hsi began her third regency, if you can use the word regency for assuming the full rights of government.

    The Pawprints of History STANLEY COREN 2002

  • Thus Tzu Hsi began her third regency, if you can use the word regency for assuming the full rights of government.

    The Pawprints of History STANLEY COREN 2002

  • I suppose it depends on the type of book - in regency stories, for example, ball gowns and well tied cravats are part of the scene setting.

    Archive 2007-04-01 Nalini Singh 2007

  • His regency was a time of greed, pretension, and too sudden wealth.

    THE DIAMOND JULIE BAUMGOLD 2005

  • His regency was a time of greed, pretension, and too sudden wealth.

    THE DIAMOND JULIE BAUMGOLD 2005

  • His regency was a time of greed, pretension, and too sudden wealth.

    THE DIAMOND JULIE BAUMGOLD 2005

  • As that abdication left Holland for twelve years under a regency, that is to say, under the direct influence of the Emperor, according to the terms of the constitution, there was no need of that union for executing every measure he might have in view against trade and against England, since his will was supreme in Holland.

    Complete Project Gutenberg Collection of Memoirs of Napoleon Various

  • If the regency were allowed to my brother, as head of the house of Cummin, that dignity now rests with me.

    The Scottish Chiefs 1875

Comments

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  • "Twenty-four hours after the quake, little medical support, rescue workers or supplies had reached Pariaman regency, the area most affected. Boxes of food and water were stacked at Padang Airport but yet to be distributed. The only presence of authorities in affected areas was the occasional local policeman."

    - Tom Allard, Survivors spend night of terror, theage.com.au, 2 October 2009.

    October 1, 2009