Viceregent

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /vaɪsˈɹiːd͡ʒənt/

Definitions

1. A deputy ruler who governs a country or region in place of the monarch, exercising authority on their behalf
2. An official who acts as the sovereign's representative, administering and managing the realm when the monarch is absent or unable to rule
3. A person appointed to oversee governance in the stead of a king or queen, exercising royal powers temporarily

Etymology: Viceregent is a compound of "vice-", meaning "in place of" or "deputy", and "regent", a person who rules on behalf of a monarch. The "vice-" element comes from Latin "vice", meaning "in the place of", which is also the source of words such as vicar and vice-chancellor. Together the parts describe someone standing in for a ruler, a deputy who holds royal authority while the sovereign is absent or unable to govern. The "regent" half traces back to Latin "regere", "to rule", which also gave English "regal", "region" and "regiment". So the word is built from two Latin pieces that both point toward the same idea: acting in another's place while exercising the powers of government. The compound shows its construction plainly, and the Proto-Indo-European root behind "regere" lies far back in the history of the word's components rather than in its English use.

Synonyms: deputy, assistant, representative, substitute, vicar