English Reference
noun

regimen

n.
US /ˈɹɛdʒəmən/ UK /ɹˈɛdʒɪmən/ reg·i·men UK spelling regimens

  1. 01 C1 Advanced Formal Medicine

    a strict plan for medicine, food, or exercise that you follow to get healthy.

    a prescribed course of medical treatment, way of life, or diet for the promotion or restoration of health.

    Simple

    He followed a strict exercise regimen to prepare for the marathon.

    In context

    The dermatologist recommended a daily skincare regimen consisting of a gentle cleanser, a vitamin C serum, and a high-SPF sunscreen.

    Pitfall
    The doctor gave me a new regime for my skin. The doctor gave me a new regimen for my skin.

    While 'regime' is often used for governments, 'regimen' is the preferred term for a medical or health routine.

  2. 02 C2 Proficiency ArchaicFormal

    a system of order or a way of governing a group.

    a systematic method of order, administration, or government.

    Simple

    The old regimen of the school was very strict about uniforms.

    In context

    Historians studied the social regimen of the nineteenth century to understand how local laws were enforced in rural areas.

  3. 03 C2 Proficiency TechnicalFormal Technical

    the way one word in a sentence controls the form of another word.

    the relationship between a governing word and the words it governs, such as a verb requiring a specific case.

    Simple

    In Latin, the regimen of certain prepositions requires the ablative case.

    In context

    The professor explained the grammatical regimen of the verb, noting how it dictates the mood of the following clause.

Drug-resistant forms of the disease often require much longer treatment regimens.

Phys.org· 29 Aug 2026

In this study, the combined regimen was tested only within 72 hours of the initial infection.

ScienceDaily· 13 Aug 2026

From Middle English regimen, from Middle French regimen and its etymon, Latin regimen (“guidance, direction, government, rule”). Doublet of regime.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Latin regimen
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Frequent
Updated