noun

regency

REED-zhuhn-see

noun

A period or system of government in which someone rules on behalf of a monarch who cannot rule themselves.

"The young prince's regency lasted until he came of age."

An administrative division in Indonesia, ranking below a province.

"The regency office issued new local permits."

How to Use Regency

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA period when a stand-in ruler governs instead of the monarch, usually because the monarch is a child, absent, or incapacitated.

Common pairings

during the regency regency period Regency era

regencies plural

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The young prince's _____ lasted until he came of age.

From Medieval Latin regentia, ultimately from Latin regens, "ruling," formed from regent plus -cy.

agency urgency potency decency currency tendency clemency leniency frequency emergency residency indecency