Reg"u*lar (-l?r), a. [L.
regularis, fr. regula a rule, fr. regere to
guide, to rule: cf. F. régulier. See Rule.]
1. Conformed to a rule; agreeable to an
established rule, law, principle, or type, or to established customary
forms; normal; symmetrical; as, a regular verse in poetry; a
regular piece of music; a regular verb; regular
practice of law or medicine; a regular building.
2. Governed by rule or rules; steady or
uniform in course, practice, or occurence; not subject to unexplained
or irrational variation; returning at stated intervals; steadily
pursued; orderlly; methodical; as, the regular succession of
day and night; regular habits.
3. Constituted, selected, or conducted in
conformity with established usages, rules, or discipline; duly
authorized; permanently organized; as, a regular meeting; a
regular physican; a regular nomination; regular
troops.
4. Belonging to a monastic order or community;
as, regular clergy, in distinction dfrom the secular
clergy.
5. Thorough; complete; unmitigated; as, a
regular humbug. [Colloq.]
6. (Bot. & Zoöl.) Having all the
parts of the same kind alike in size and shape; as, a regular
flower; a regular sea urchin.
7. (Crystallog.) Same as
Isometric.
Regular polygon (Geom.), a plane
polygon which is both equilateral and equiangular. --
Regular polyhedron (Geom.), a polyhedron
whose faces are equal regular polygons. There are five regular
polyhedrons, -- the tetrahedron, the hexahedron, or cube, the
octahedron, the dodecahedron, and the icosahedron. --
Regular sales (Stock Exchange), sales of
stock deliverable on the day after the transaction. --
Regular troops, troops of a standing or
permanent army; -- opposed to militia.
Syn. -- Normal; orderly; methodical. See Normal.
Reg"u*lar (rĕg"?*lẽr),
n. [LL. regularis: cf. F.
régulier. See Regular, a.]
1. (R. C. Ch.) A member of any religious
order or community who has taken the vows of poverty, chastity, and
obedience, and who has been solemnly recognized by the church.
Bp. Fitzpatrick.
2. (Mil.) A soldier belonging to a
permanent or standing army; -- chiefly used in the plural.