regent
/ˈriːdʒ(ə)nt
/noun
1A person appointed to administer a state because the monarch is a minor or is absent or incapacitated.A strong monarch could control the Parlement de Paris but a minor supported by a regent rarely could....
- The regents administering the country on behalf of the child soon abandoned the city of Akhetaten and the worship of the Aten and returned to Egypt's traditional gods and religious centres.
- Until now the affairs of the tribe have been administered by regents.
2North American A member of the governing body of a university or other academic institution.Senate resolutions must be presented to the regents through the university president....
- The 19 panel members, including Jiles, were chosen from among the Coordinating Board members, university regents and trustees, college administrators and community leaders.
- University of California regents handed fellow board member and activist Ward Connerly a defeat last month, voting down his proposal to stop funding ethnic graduations and gay freshman orientation.
adjective [postpositive]
Acting as regent for a monarch: the queen regent of Portugal...See also Prince Regent.
- Nepal proclaimed its second new king in two days on Monday, naming regent Prince Gyanendra as monarch following a mysterious palace massacre which has rocked the Himalayan kingdom to its foundations.
- Among the dignitaries present were traditional leaders led by King Maxhoba Sandile of AmaRharhabe and Queen regent Bhongolwethu Ndamase of Western Pondoland.
- And this little boy usurper and his regent mother will not restore a thing.
Origin
Late Middle English: from Old French, or from Latin regent- 'ruling', from the verb regere.