from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Regent \Re"gent\, n. [F. r['e]gent. See {Regent}, a.]
1. One who rules or reigns; a governor; a ruler. --Milton.
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2. Especially, one invested with vicarious authority; one who
governs a kingdom in the minority, absence, or disability
of the sovereign.
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3. One of a governing board; a trustee or overseer; a
superintendent; a curator; as, the regents of the
Smithsonian Institution.
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4. (Eng.Univ.) A resident master of arts of less than five
years' standing, or a doctor of less than twwo. They were
formerly privileged to lecture in the schools.
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{Regent bird} (Zool.), a beautiful Australian bower bird
({Sericulus melinus}). The male has the head, neck, and
large patches on the wings, bright golden yellow, and the
rest of the plumage deep velvety black; -- so called in
honor of the Prince of Wales (afterward George IV.), who
was Prince Regent in the reign of George III.
{The Regents of the University of the State of New York}, the
members of a corporate body called the University of New
York. They have a certain supervisory power over the
incorporated institution for Academic and higher education
in the State.
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