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register

re·gis·ter/ˈɹɛd͡ʒ.ɪ.stɚ/noun, verb

register is spelled R-E-G-I-S-T-E-R: 8 letters and 3 syllables (re·gis·ter). It appears 39 times per million words in written English, the 2,523rd most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, register means “A formal recording of names, events, transactions, etc” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of register is registers.

How many letters and syllables are in register?

Letters8: R-E-G-I-S-T-E-R
Syllables3: re·gis·ter
In writing39 times per million words; the 2,523rd most frequent word form
Wrong spellings searchednone measured in search

Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).

How common is register?

Register appears 39 times per million words in written English, the 2,523rd most frequent word form in the list.

Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).

How do you pronounce register?

  • UK /ˈɹɛd͡ʒ.ɪ.stə/
  • US /ˈɹɛd͡ʒ.ɪ.stɚ/
  • US /ˈɹɛd͡ʒ.ə.stɚ/

Register has 3 syllables, split re·gis·ter in writing.

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-register.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).

Forms of register

  • registers plural, present, singular, he/she/it
  • registering participle, present
  • registered participle, past

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

What does register mean?

The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).

noun

  1. 1

    A formal recording of names, events, transactions, etc.

    The teacher took the register by calling out each child's name.

  2. 2

    A book of such entries.

  3. 3

    An entry in such a book.

  4. 4

    The act of registering.

  5. 5

    A certificate issued by the collector of customs of a port or district to the owner of a vessel, containing the description of a vessel, its name, ownership, and other material facts. It is kept on board the vessel, to be used as evidence of nationality or as a muniment of title.

  6. 6

    One who registers or records; a registrar; especially, a public officer charged with the duty of recording certain transactions or events.

    a register of deeds

  7. 7

    A distinct horizontal (or, more rarely, vertical) section of a work of art or inscription that is divided into several such sections.

  8. 8

    A device that automatically records a quantity.

verb

  1. 1

    To enter in a register; to enlist.

  2. 2

    To sign-up, especially to vote.

  3. 3

    To record, especially in writing.

  4. 4

    To buy the full version of trial software by providing one's details and payment.

    This is a trial version, and will expire in 30 days. Please register!

  5. 5

    To express outward signs.

  6. 6

    To record officially and handle specially.

  7. 7

    To make or adjust so as to be properly or precisely aligned.

  8. 8

    To place one's name, or have one's name placed in a register.

    They registered for school.

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

How do you abbreviate register?

Wiktionary records one abbreviation of register: reg..

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

Register in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese

LanguageWords
GermanRegister (formal recording), Stilschicht, Stilebene, Stilfärbung (linguistics: style of a language used in a…), registrieren, einschreiben (transitive: to enter in a register)
Portugueseregistro (formal recording), registrar (transitive: to enter in a register), registrador (computing: part of the central processing unit…), inscrever (intransitive: to place one's name, or have…)
Spanishregistro (formal recording), registrar, empadronar (transitive: to enter in a register), registrarse (intransitive: to place one's name, or have…), ser registrado / comprendido por (to make an impression)
Frenchenregistrer, inscrire (transitive: to enter in a register), registre (book of such entries), inscription (act of registering), imprimer (to record, especially in writing), recaler (printing: to adjust so as to be properly aligned)

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.

Where does register come from?

From Medieval Latin registrum, from Late Latin regesta (“list, items recorded”), from Latin regerō (“to record, to carry back”), from re- + gerō (“to carry, bear”). Compare Latin registoria (“a treasurer”). Some senses influenced by association with unrelated Latin regō (“to rule”).

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

What to look up after register