# regent

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈɹiːd͡ʒənt/ · frequency rank #16,109

## Definitions
1. One who rules in place of the monarch, especially because the monarch is too young, absent, or disabled.
2. Any ruler.
3. A member of a municipal or civic body of governors, especially in certain European cities.
4. A member of governing board of a college or university; also a governor of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.
5. The chief executive of a regency.

## Etymology
From Middle English regent, from Anglo-Norman regent, Middle French regent, and their source, Latin regēns (“ruling; ruler, governor, prince”), present participle of regō (“I govern, I steer”).

## Easily confused with
- **rent** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/regent-vs-rent)
- **reset** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/regent-vs-reset)
- **Rogen** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/regent-vs-rogen)
- **repeat** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/regent-vs-repeat)
- **regret** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/regent-vs-regret)
- **reject** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/regent-vs-reject)
- **regina** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/regent-vs-regina)
- **resent** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/regent-vs-resent)
- **repent** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/regent-vs-repent)
- **revert** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/regent-vs-revert)
- **rodent** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/regent-vs-rodent)
- **reheat** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/regent-vs-reheat)
- **regiment** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/regent-vs-regiment)
- **Regan** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/regan-vs-regent)
- **recent** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/recent-vs-regent)
- **regency** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/regency-vs-regent)
- **reagent** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/reagent-vs-regent)

## Common misspellings (9)
`ergent`, `reegnt`, `regennt`, `regentt`, `regetn`, `reggent`, `regnet`, `rgeent`, `rregent`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/regent