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reign

(rān)

1. Exercise of sovereign power, as by a monarch.

2. The period during which a monarch rules.

3. Dominance or widespread influence: the reign of reason.

intr.v. reigned, reign·ing, reigns

1. To exercise sovereign power: Queen Victoria reigned from 1837 to 1901.

2. To hold the title of monarch, but with limited authority.

3. To be predominant or prevalent: Panic reigned as the fire spread.

[Middle English reigne, from Old French, from Latin rēgnum, from rēx, rēg-, king; see reg- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

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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