the period of time during which a regent governs
"The historical accounts detail events from the entire duration of the regency following the king's abdication."
the period from 1811-1820 when the Prince of Wales was regent during George III's periods of insanity
"The novel is set during the Regency, a time when the Prince of Wales ruled as regent while his father suffered from bouts of madness."
the office of a regent
"After the king fell ill, his son assumed full control during the brief period of his mother's regency."
A system of government that substitutes for the reign of a king or queen when that king or queen becomes unable to rule.
"During his long illness, the Duke assumed the regency and acted as head of state until the monarch recovered."
In plain English: Regency is a period when someone else rules as an acting head of state because the real ruler cannot do it themselves.
"The house was restored to its original regency style before being sold to new owners."
Usage: Use regency specifically for periods where an appointed ruler governs in place of a monarch who is too young, ill, or absent to do so themselves. Do not confuse this temporary arrangement with other forms of provisional leadership like a dictatorship or junta.
The period in United Kingdom history, specifically 1811–1820, in which King George IV ruled as prince regent.
"The novels written during the Regency are famous for their romantic plots set against the backdrop of early nineteenth-century London society."
The word "regency" comes from the Latin verb regō, meaning to rule, and originally referred to the office or period during which a ruler acted on behalf of an absent monarch. It entered English through Middle French and Medieval Latin forms before being shaped by modern surface analysis as the combination of "regent" and the suffix "-cy.