1. (a.) One who rules or reigns; a governor; a trustee\.
2. (a.) Ruling; governing; regnant.
3. (a.) Exercising vicarious authority.
4. (a.) Especially, one invested with vicarious authority; one who governs a kingdom in the minority, absence, or disability of the sovereign.
5. (a.) One of a governing board; a trustee or overseer; a superintendent; a curator; as, the regents of the Smithsonian Institution.
6. (n.) A resident master of arts of less than five years' standing, or a doctor of less than two. They were formerly privileged to lecture in the schools.