Where does “regent” come from?
regent (Middle Dutch) comes from Middle French regent, from Old French regent, from Latin regēns, from Latin regō, from Proto-Italic regō, from Proto-Indo-European h₃réǵeti, from Proto-Indo-European h₃reǵ- — to straighten, to right oneself; right; just.
Ancestry of “regent”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle French | regent | regent |
| 2 | Old French | regent | regent one who reigns in the absence of a monarch |
| 3 | Latin | regēns | ruling, governing |
| 4 | Latin | regō | to rule, govern, direct |
| 5 | Proto-Italic | regō | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | h₃réǵeti | to be straightening, to be setting upright |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | h₃reǵ- | to straighten, to right oneself; right; just |