# Reg

/ˈɹɛɡ/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/reg
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. a rule or regulation

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal

a short way of saying 'regulation' or a rule.

For teachers: an informal clipping of 'regulation', typically used when discussing rules or administrative requirements.

- You need to follow the safety regs if you want to work in the lab.
- The new environmental regs have forced the company to overhaul its waste management protocols entirely.

### 2. vehicle registration

noun · CEFR B2 · British English · Informal

a short way of saying 'registration', especially for a car's license plate.

For teachers: an informal abbreviation for 'registration', most commonly referring to a vehicle's registration number or plate.

- The witness couldn't remember the car's reg, but she knew it was red.
- The police officer entered the vehicle's reg into the database to check for any outstanding warrants.

### 3. a regular customer

noun · CEFR C1 · Informal

someone who goes to the same place, like a bar or café, very often.

For teachers: an informal clipping of 'regular', referring to a frequent customer or visitor to an establishment.

- The bartender already had a drink waiting for one of the local regs.
- The café relies on its morning regs to stay profitable during the slower winter months.

### 4. stony desert surface

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a type of desert floor covered in small rocks and stones rather than sand.

For teachers: a desert surface covered with closely packed, interlocking angular or rounded rock fragments of pebble and cobble size.

- The explorers found it difficult to walk across the sharp stones of the reg.
- Unlike the shifting dunes of the erg, the reg provides a stable but punishing surface for desert travel.

### 5. a person's name

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal

a short, friendly name for a man named Reginald.

For teachers: a common diminutive or hypocorism for the male given name Reginald.

- Uncle Reg always brings the best stories to our family dinners.
- Reginald, known to his colleagues simply as Reg, had served as the firm's senior partner for three decades.

## Examples

- You need to check the new safety regs.
- The mechanic asked for the car's reg number before he could order the replacement parts.
- While the official handbook is hundreds of pages long, most staff members only bother to learn the specific health and safety regs that apply to their daily tasks.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.