Standard Lemma guide

regulator

noun · 12 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

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /ˈɹɛɡ.jʊ.leɪ.tə/
  • UK: /ˈɹɛɡ.jə.leɪ.tə/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • US: /ˈɹɛɡ.ju.leɪ.tɚ/
  • US: /ˈɹɛɡ.jə.leɪ.tɚ/
  • CMU ARPABET: R EH1 G Y AH0 L EY2 T ER0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A device that controls or limits something.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A device that controls or limits something.

Ellipsis of voltage regulator.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis

Examples

  • The regulator stopped working and the resulting overvoltage destroyed the device.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A person or group that sets standards of practice, especially regulatory law as sanctioned by statutory law.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: lawmaker

4

noun

Meaning 4

A very accurate clock, used by clockmakers to measure the timekeeping of each newly made clock.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

A gene involved in controlling the expression of one or more other genes.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: biology, genetics, medicine, natural-sciences, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

A device that controls the supply of steam to the cylinders of a steam locomotive.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: rail-transport, railways, transport

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

noun

Meaning 7

Synonym of bulldozer (“member of intimidating group of white US Southerners”).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: historical

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: bulldozer

Antonyms: none provided

8

noun

Meaning 8

A positive real number determining the density of the units in Dirichlet's unit theorem.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: mathematics, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

noun

Meaning 9

Short for diving regulator.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: abbreviation, alt-of

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

10

noun

Meaning 10

a control that maintains a steady speed in a machine (as by controlling the supply of fuel)

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: governor

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: control, controller

Narrower terms: flywheel, timer

11

noun

Meaning 11

any of various controls or devices for regulating or controlling fluid flow, pressure, temperature, etc.

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: control, controller

Narrower terms: aperture, ballcock, ball cock, draft, faucet, spigot, peg, petcock, register, safety valve, relief valve, escape valve, escape cock, escape, sluicegate, sluice valve, floodgate, penstock, head gate, water gate, thermostat, thermoregulator

12

noun

Meaning 12

an official responsible for control and supervision of a particular activity or area of public interest

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: official, functionary

History

Etymology

From regulate + -or.

Across languages

Translations

48 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: منظِّم — device that controls or limits something
  • Belarusian: рэгуля́тар (rehuljátar) — device that controls or limits something
  • Bulgarian: регула́тор (regulátor) — device that controls or limits something
  • Catalan: regulador — device that controls or limits something
  • Czech: regulátor — device that controls or limits something
  • Finnish: säädin — device that controls or limits something
  • Irish: rialtán — device that controls or limits something
  • Italian: regolatore — device that controls or limits something
  • Italian: erogatore — device that controls or limits something
  • Kazakh: реттегіш (rettegış) — device that controls or limits something
  • Korean: 조절기 (jojeolgi) — device that controls or limits something
  • Polish: regulator — device that controls or limits something
  • Portuguese: regulador — device that controls or limits something
  • Russian: регуля́тор (reguljátor) — device that controls or limits something
  • Spanish: regulador — device that controls or limits something
  • Swedish: regulator — device that controls or limits something
  • Turkish: dedantör — device that controls or limits something
  • Ukrainian: регуля́тор (rehuljátor) — device that controls or limits something
  • Arabic: مُنَظِّم (munaẓẓim) — person or group that sets standards of practice
  • Armenian: կարգավորիչ (kargavoričʻ) — person or group that sets standards of practice
  • Belarusian: рэгуліро́ўшчык (rehulirówščyk) — person or group that sets standards of practice
  • Belarusian: рэгуліро́ўшчыца (rehulirówščyca) — person or group that sets standards of practice
  • Czech: regulátor — person or group that sets standards of practice
  • Finnish: sääntelijä — person or group that sets standards of practice
  • Hindi: नियंत्रक (niyantrak) — person or group that sets standards of practice
  • Indonesian: pengatur — person or group that sets standards of practice
  • Indonesian: regulator — person or group that sets standards of practice
  • Italian: legislatore — person or group that sets standards of practice
  • Malay: pengawal selia — person or group that sets standards of practice
  • Polish: regulator — person or group that sets standards of practice
  • Portuguese: regularizador — person or group that sets standards of practice
  • Russian: регулиро́вщик (reguliróvščik) — person or group that sets standards of practice
  • Russian: регулиро́вщица (reguliróvščica) — person or group that sets standards of practice
  • Swedish: regulator — person or group that sets standards of practice
  • Turkish: regülatör — person or group that sets standards of practice
  • Ukrainian: регулюва́льник (rehuljuválʹnyk) — person or group that sets standards of practice
  • Ukrainian: регулюва́льниця (rehuljuválʹnycja) — person or group that sets standards of practice
  • Finnish: tarkkuuskello — very accurate clock used by clockmakers
  • Indonesian: regulator — very accurate clock used by clockmakers
  • Swedish: regulator — very accurate clock used by clockmakers
  • Bulgarian: регула́тор (regulátor) — type of gene
  • Catalan: regulador — type of gene
  • Finnish: säätelygeeni — type of gene
  • French: régulateur — type of gene
  • Italian: regolatore — type of gene
  • Portuguese: regulador — type of gene
  • Spanish: regulador — type of gene
  • Finnish: regulaattori — rail transport: device that controls the supply of steam to the cylinder
Real reading context

regulator in complete knowledge articles