A Region Was an Area Under One Direction
A region is an area with defined characteristics. The Latin root means to rule or direct, the same as regent.
A region is an area distinguished by characteristics or administration. The Latin *regio* meant a direction or boundary line, from *regere*, to rule or guide in a straight line. A region was originally an area lying in a particular direction, and geography, biology and administration have all borrowed the word.
- A defined area. *A coastal region.*
- An administrative division. *The northern region.*
- A part of the body. *The lumbar region.*
- In the region of — approximately. *In the region of £500.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | region | A mountain region. |
| Plural | regions | Several regions. |
| Adjective | regional | Regional accents. |
| Adverb | regionally | Varies regionally. |
| Related | regime | A ruling regime. |
How it is used in a sentence
- In the region of a thousand.Approximately.
- Regional accents vary widely.Britain has an unusual density of them.
- The abdominal region.Anatomy.
Kinds of region
- Administrative — defined for governing purposes
- Physical — defined by landscape or climate
- Cultural — defined by language or custom
- Biogeographic — defined by the species found there
- Functional — defined by a shared centre, such as a city's commuter belt
From Latin *regionem*, a direction or district, from *regere*, to direct or rule.
Are region and regime related?
Yes. Both come from Latin *regere*, to rule or direct.
What is a functional region?
One defined by connections rather than boundaries, such as the area from which people commute into a city.