One of a governing board; a trustee or overseer; a superintendent; a curator; as, the regents of the Smithsonian Institution
a member of the Board of Regents of the University; there are eighteen Regents: three bishops, three presbyters, and six lay--twelve in all--elected directly by the Board of Trustees; there are also six other regents nominated by the Board of Regents and confirmed [not elected] by the Board of Trustees
Especially, one invested with vicarious authority; one who governs a kingdom in the minority, absence, or disability of the sovereign
A regent is a person who rules a country when the king or queen is unable to rule, for example because they are too young or too ill. someone who governs instead of a king or queen, because the king or queen is ill, absent, or still a child (present participle of regere )