Phrase guide

regular expression

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

A concise description of a regular formal language with notations for concatenation, alternation, and iteration (repetition) of subexpressions.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: computing, computing-theory, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Any pattern for text matching or searching, frequently offering more or less functionality than a theoretical regular expression.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: broadly

Topics: computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

26 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 正則表達式 /正则表达式 (zhèngzé biǎodáshì) — computing: a concise description of a pattern to be matched
  • Chinese Mandarin: 正規表示法 /正规表示法 (zhèngguī biǎoshìfǎ) — computing: a concise description of a pattern to be matched
  • Chinese Mandarin: 常規表示法 /常规表示法 (chángguī biǎoshìfǎ) — computing: a concise description of a pattern to be matched
  • Czech: regulární výraz — computing: a concise description of a pattern to be matched
  • Finnish: säännöllinen lauseke — computing: a concise description of a pattern to be matched
  • French: expression rationnelle — computing: a concise description of a pattern to be matched
  • French: expression régulière — computing: a concise description of a pattern to be matched
  • German: regulärer Ausdruck — computing: a concise description of a pattern to be matched
  • German: RegExp — computing: a concise description of a pattern to be matched
  • German: Regex — computing: a concise description of a pattern to be matched
  • Greek: κανονική έκφραση (kanonikí ékfrasi) — computing: a concise description of a pattern to be matched
  • Hungarian: reguláris kifejezés — computing: a concise description of a pattern to be matched
  • Icelandic: regluleg segð — computing: a concise description of a pattern to be matched
  • Italian: espressione regolare — computing: a concise description of a pattern to be matched
  • Japanese: 正規表現 (sēkihyōgen) — computing: a concise description of a pattern to be matched
  • Persian: عبارت باقاعده ('ebârat-e bâqâ'ede) — computing: a concise description of a pattern to be matched
  • Polish: wyrażenie regularne — computing: a concise description of a pattern to be matched
  • Portuguese: expressão regular — computing: a concise description of a pattern to be matched
  • Russian: регуля́рное выраже́ние (reguljárnoje vyražénije) — computing: a concise description of a pattern to be matched
  • Russian: регэ́ксп (rɛgɛ́ksp) — computing: a concise description of a pattern to be matched
  • Russian: реге́кс (rɛgɛ́ks) — computing: a concise description of a pattern to be matched
  • Spanish: expresión regular — computing: a concise description of a pattern to be matched
  • Swedish: reguljärt uttryck — computing: a concise description of a pattern to be matched
  • Thai: นิพจน์ปรกติ — computing: a concise description of a pattern to be matched
  • Thai: นิพจน์ปกติ — computing: a concise description of a pattern to be matched
  • Turkish: düzenli ifade — computing: a concise description of a pattern to be matched