region English · revision 3244

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1300|origins=la regere}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈriː.dʒən/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|regioun]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) [[bor|xno|regioun]], Old French region “land, region, province”,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) from [[la|regiō|t=direction, line, boundary; district, territory]] (accusative regiōnem),^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000)^(Barnhart 1988) from [[m|la|regere|t=to direct, rule]],^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000) from [[ine-pro|*reg-|t=to move in a straight line]].^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000) It is related to [[regent]], [[regime]] and [[right]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A large tract of land, a country or kingdom: probably before 1300, in ''Kyng Alisaunder'',^(Barnhart 1988) or about 1300;^(Etymonline) the OED's first quotation is from about 1330.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ A part of the world or universe, such as the air or the heavens, is from 1340,^(OED 1989) and a part of the world from the late 14th century.^(Etymonline) “The rule of a kingdom”, about 1400, is obsolete.^(OED 1989) The successive layers of the atmosphere were regions from 1563,^(OED 1989) and a part of the body from the 16th century.^(Hoad 1986) A place or state figuratively, as in ''the regions of the dead'', is from 1526.^(OED 1989) ''In the region of'', “about”, of numbers, is attested from 1961.^(Etymonline) ''Regional'' is from probably before 1425.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1300 – a tract of land; a kingdom.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1340 – a part of the universe.^(OED 1989)

+ * before 1425 – ''regional''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1526 – a state or condition (figurative).^(OED 1989)

+ * 1563 – a layer of the atmosphere.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1961 – ''in the region of'', about.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A large area of land, usually without exact boundaries.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # An administrative district of a country.^(AHD)

+ # A part of the body: ''the lower back region''.^(AHD)^(Hoad 1986)

+ # A sphere or field of activity.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+ # ''(in the region of)'' Approximately.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[bioregion]]

+ * [[subregion]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[regional]]

+ * [[regionally]]

+ * [[regime]]

+ * [[regiment]]

+ * [[regent]]

+ * [[rule]]

+ * [[right]]

+ * [[royal]]

+ * [[direct]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}