regina
/rɪˈdʒaɪnə/
noun
Origin
Latin
regina — queen
Overview
Meaning Now
- A queen; specifically used as a title for a reigning female monarch.
Literal older meaning
queen
Language path
Latin → English
Earliest form
regina
Earliest period
16th century
Journey
The term is the Latin word for queen, often used in English legal documentation to refer to the monarch (e.g., 'Regina v. Smith' in a criminal case), where it denotes the Crown as the prosecutor.
Evolution
- Proto-Indo-European
*h₃reǵ-
“to straighten, to rule”
Root for words meaning king or ruler.
- Latin
regina
“queen”
Feminine derivative of rex.
- Middle English
regina
“queen”
Used primarily in scholarly or royal titling.
Connections
Word parts
reg-
root
ruler
-ina
suffix
feminine marker
Related across languages
Italian
queen
Spanish
reina
queen
Explore next
Related to regina
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.