regular definition

1. A member of any religious order or community who has taken the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, and who has been solemnly recognised by the church.

2. A soldier belonging to a permanent or standing army; chiefly used in the plural.

Origin: LL. Regularis: cf. F. Regulier. See Regular.

1. Conformed to a rule; agreeable to an established rule, law, principle, or type, or to established customary forms; normal; symmetrical; as, a regular verse in poetry; a regular piece of music; a regular verb; regular practice of law or medicine; a regular building.

2. Governed by rule or rules; steady or uniform in course, practice, or occurence; not subject to unexplained or irrational variation; returning at stated intervals; steadily pursued; orderlly; methodical; as, the regular succession of day and night; regular habits.

3. Constituted, selected, or conducted in conformity with established usages, rules, or discipline; duly authorised; permanently organised; as, a regular meeting; a regular physican; a regular nomination; regular troops.

4. Belonging to a monastic order or community; as, regular clergy, in distinction dfrom the secular clergy.

5. Thorough; complete; unmitigated; as, a regular humbug.

6. <botany> Having all the parts of the same kind alike in size and shape; as, a regular flower; a regular sea urchin.

7. <chemistry> Same as Isometric.

<geometry> Regular polygon, sales of stock deliverable on the day after the transaction. Regular troops, troops of a standing or permanent army; opposed to militia.

Synonyms: Normal, orderly, methodical. See Normal.

Origin: L. Regularis, fr. Regula a rule, fr. Regere to guide, to rule: cf. F. Regulier. See Rule.