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reg·u·lar (rĕgyə-lər)
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adj.
1. Customary, usual, or normal: the train's regular schedule.
2. Orderly, even, or symmetrical: regular teeth.
3. In conformity with a fixed procedure, principle, or discipline.
4. Well-ordered; methodical: regular habits.
5. Occurring at fixed intervals; periodic: regular payments.
6. Having bowel movements or menstrual periods with normal frequency.
7. Not varying; constant.
8. Formally correct; proper.
9. Having the required qualifications for an occupation: not a regular lawyer.
10. Informal Complete; thorough: a regular scoundrel.
11. Informal Good; nice: a regular guy.
12. Botany Having symmetrically arranged parts of similar size and shape: regular flowers.
13. Grammar Conforming to the usual pattern of inflection, derivation, or word formation.
14. Ecclesiastical Belonging to a religious order and bound by its rules: the regular clergy.
15. Mathematics
a. Having equal sides and equal angles. Used of polygons.
b. Having faces that are congruent regular polygons and congruent polyhedral angles. Used of polyhedrons.
16. Belonging to or constituting the permanent army of a nation.
n.
1. Ecclesiastical A member of the clergy or of a religious order.
2. A soldier belonging to a regular army.
3. A dependable loyal person: one of the party regulars.
4. A clothing size designed for persons of average height.
5. A habitual customer.
[Middle English reguler, living under religious rule, from Old French, from Late Latin rēgulāris, according to rule, from Latin rēgula, rod, rule; see reg- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]
reg′u·lari·ty (-lărĭ-tē) n.
regu·lar·ly adv.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

    Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

    Indo-European Roots

    Semitic Roots

    The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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