Regulation

Origin

From Medieval Latin *regulatio, from regulare ("to regulate"); see regulate.

Full definition of regulation

Noun

1. (uncountable)   The act of regulating or the condition of being regulated.
2. (countable)   A law or administrative rule, issued by an organization, used to guide or prescribe the conduct of members of that organization.
• 2013-05-17, George Monbiot, Money just makes the rich suffer, In order to grant the rich these pleasures, the social contract is reconfigured. …  The public realm is privatised, the regulations restraining the ultra-wealthy and the companies they control are abandoned, and Edwardian levels of inequality are almost fetishised.
• Army regulations state a soldier AWOL over 30 days is a deserter.
3. (European Union law) A form of legislative act which is self-effecting, and requires no further intervention by the Member States to become law.

Adjective

1. In conformity with applicable rules and regulations.
• 1969, Thomas Wiseman, The Quick and the Dead, It is regulation that these directives are to be destroyed on receipt.
• 2004, Marc Miller, The Kettles and the Keeps: Ghosts at War, "The hat is regulation as well, I assume."
• 2007, Jim Butcher, Captain's Fury, It is the responsibility of every legionare to be sure that he is regulation height as well.

Related terms

• rule
• ruler
• regulate
• regulator
• coregulation
• deregulation

Anagrams

• urogenital