Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun In ancient Rome, a regent; a magistrate who governed during an interregnum.

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

  • noun An interregent, or a regent.

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

  • noun history An official in Ancient Rome, who acted as single head of state during the interregnum between two consulates.
  • noun history An equivalent regent from the death of a Polish king till the election and enthronement of his successor.
  • noun figuratively A similar interim ruler, CEO etc.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Latin, inter- ("between") + rex ("king")

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Examples

  • This temporary supreme magistrate called the interrex held office for five days only as custodian of Rome; he had to be patrician, the leader of his decury of senators, and in the case of the first interrex, the senior patrician in the House.

    Fortune's Favorites McCullough, Colleen, 1937- 1993

  • At that time the "interrex" convened the assembly and addressed it as follows: "Quirites! elect your king, and may heaven's blessing rest on your labours!

    The History of Rome, Vol. I 1905

  • In this manner he descended into the forum, where Spurius Vettius, whose turn it was to be interrex at that hour, put it to the vote; and all declared him king.

    The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans Plutarch 2003

  • “He has done exactly what he ought to do, appoint an interrex.”

    Fortune's Favorites McCullough, Colleen, 1937- 1993

  • On the sixth day he was succeeded as interrex by the second most senior patrician in the House also leader of his decury; the second interrex was empowered to hold the elections.

    Fortune's Favorites McCullough, Colleen, 1937- 1993

  • So at dawn on New Year's Day the Senate formally appointed Lucius Valerius Flaccus Princeps Senatus the first interrex and those men who intended to stand for election as consuls and praetors went into a flurry of hasty canvassing.

    Fortune's Favorites McCullough, Colleen, 1937- 1993

  • Lucius Valerius Flaccus the Princeps Senatus, colleague in the second-last consulship of Gaius Marius, dropped dead the day after he stepped down from office as first interrex, and Philippus proposed that Mamercus be appointed as a temporary Princeps Senatus.

    Fortune's Favorites McCullough, Colleen, 1937- 1993

  • The senatus consultum de re publica defendenda was passed, Flaccus Princeps Senatus died, the second interrex held elections, and finally Lepidus marched on Rome.

    Fortune's Favorites McCullough, Colleen, 1937- 1993

  • I will be succeeded by a second interrex who will also serve for five days.

    Fortune's Favorites McCullough, Colleen, 1937- 1993

  • But this required impassioned debate, and so the Senate did not pass its Ultimate Decree until the last day of Flaccus's term as first interrex.

    Fortune's Favorites McCullough, Colleen, 1937- 1993

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