English Reference
adjective · noun

regional

adj. · n.
US /ˈɹidʒənəɫ/ UK /ɹˈiːdʒənəl/ re·gion·al UK spelling regionals

  1. 01 B2 Upper Intermediate

    adj.relating to a particular area or part of a country.

    adj.pertaining to a specific geographic region or administrative district within a larger territory.

    Simple

    The regional bus service only runs between the small towns in this valley.

    In context

    The government has proposed a new regional development plan to address the economic disparities between the northern provinces and the capital city.

  2. 02 B2 Upper Intermediate American EnglishBritish English

    adj.describing areas that are not in the big main cities but have many people and towns.

    adj.denoting areas outside of major metropolitan centres that are nonetheless populated and contain significant townships.

    Simple

    Many regional hospitals struggle to attract specialist doctors from the big cities.

    In context

    The airline operates several short-haul flights connecting regional hubs to the primary international airport.

    provincialrural urban
  3. 03 C1 Advanced Technical Medicine

    adj.relating to one specific part of the body.

    adj.pertaining to a particular segment or area of the body rather than the whole system.

    Simple

    The patient was given a regional anaesthetic so they wouldn't feel pain in their leg.

    In context

    Regional anatomy focuses on the organization of specific body parts, such as the head or thorax, and how different systems interact within those boundaries.

  4. 04 B2 Upper Intermediate

    n.a competition or meeting that only involves people from one specific area.

    n.an entity, administrative office, or competitive event whose scope is limited to a single geographic region.

    Simple

    The team won the regionals and will now compete in the national championship.

    In context

    After several successful years managing the local branch, she was promoted to the regional to oversee operations across the entire southwest.

    local chapterqualifier

Usage regional governor · regional government · regional official

By law everyone in Spain should get 14 days a year of public holidays, divided between national (usually 8 to 9), regional (3 to 4) and local (2).

The Local· 13 Aug 2026

Another Briton has been held in a regional prison for more than two months despite his family’s efforts to secure his release through the Foreign Office.

The Guardian· 10 Aug 2026

From Middle French régional, from Latin regiōnālis.

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

This entry
Origin Latin regiōnālis
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Common
Updated