Etymologically
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regina

Etymology and origin of the Latin word regina

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Plautus
Ultimate origin
Latin (rēx)

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [reːˈɡiː.na][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [reˈd͡ʒiː.na][1]

Forms

rēgīna f (genitive rēgīnae, masculine rēx); first declension[1]

Etymology

It is from rēx “king” with the suffix -īna.[2][1][3] Wiktionary notes the exact formation is uncertain, perhaps from an adjective *reg-īno- “meant for the king”.[1] Lewis and Short compare Sanskrit राज्ञी (rājñī́, “queen”).[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's first citations are from Plautus.[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant a queen, as Cicero's and Horace's Cleopatra and Virgil's Dido, any princess, and the rēgīna sacrōrum, wife of the rēx sacrōrum.[2][5] It was a title of goddesses, especially Juno, as in Propertius, and with a genitive a mistress or queen of something, as Horace's rēgīna Pecūnia “Queen Money”.[2][5] It was also a woman pre-eminent among others, a title of respect, and in Pacuvius anything dominant in its class.[2]

In Medieval Latin it meant a queen consort, queen mother, or queen in her own right.[6] It survives in Italian regina, French reine, Spanish reina and Portuguese rainha.[1] English Regina is a borrowing used as a name and title.[7]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of a queen and a princess.[2][4]
  • 220–130 BC – Pacuvius uses it figuratively.[2][4]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of Cleopatra.[3][4]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A queen; a princess.[2]
  2. (title of goddesses) Queen, especially Juno.[2]
  3. A mistress, queen (of).[2]
  4. A pre-eminent woman.[2]

Word family

  • rēgīnula
  • rēgālia
  • rēgāliolus
  • rēgālis
  • rēgālitās
  • rēgāliter
  • regēns
  • rēgia
  • regibilis
  • rēgiē
  • rēgificē
  • rēx
  • English Regina

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  6. ^ Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press
  7. ^ Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
Cite this entry

“Regina.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/regina. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·