Re"gent (r?"jent), a. [L.
regens, -entis, p. pr. of regere to rule: cf. F.
régent. See Regiment.] 1.
Ruling; governing; regnant. "Some other active
regent principle . . . which we call the soul." Sir M.
Hale.
2. Exercising vicarious authority.
Milton.
Queen regent. See under Queen,
n.
Re"gent, n. [F. régent.
See Regent, a.] 1. One
who rules or reigns; a governor; a ruler. Milton.
2. Especially, one invested with vicarious
authority; one who governs a kingdom in the minority, absence, or
disability of the sovereign.
3. One of a governing board; a trustee or
overseer; a superintendent; a curator; as, the regents of the
Smithsonian Institution.
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.
Regent bird (Zoöl.), 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.