regina

regina — noun

1. In British law, the title used for the state in criminal case names when the mon

1.名詞C1
釋義

In British law, the title used for the state in criminal case names when the monarch is a queen. It comes before 'v.' or 'vs.' and the name of the accused person or organisation.

例句

Regina vs. Smith shows the pattern: 'Regina' stands for the state, 'Smith' for the defendant.

case name format: Regina vs. [defendant]; explains the role of each part

At trial, a Crown barrister relied on Regina v. Adams, a 1998 entrapment ruling.

同義詞
  • the Crown

    broader term for the state in legal contexts, used regardless of the monarch's gender

  • the state

    general term for the government as a party in criminal cases, less specific to monarchies

反義詞
  • Rex

    the equivalent legal title used when the monarch is a king

文法句型

Regina v. [defendant]

Regina vs. [defendant]

R. v. [defendant]

用法筆記

Frequently abbreviated to R. in written judgments (e.g. R. v. Adams). This title is used only when the reigning monarch is a queen; when the monarch is a king, the title changes to Rex.

常見錯誤

❌The regina is a type of queen.
✅Regina is the Latin word for queen used as the title of the state in British court cases.
💡In legal English, Regina is a proper noun representing the Crown, not a common noun meaning any queen.
❌Regina Elizabeth is the queen.
✅Queen Elizabeth II was the monarch; the legal title Regina is used only in case names.
💡Do not use Regina as a substitute for the ordinary title Queen.

2. The Latin noun meaning a female monarch or the wife of a king. In English, it is

2.名詞B1
釋義

The Latin noun meaning a female monarch or the wife of a king. In English, it is used when referring to the original Latin word itself, in historical or religious phrases, and on coins and inscriptions.

例句

Mei learned in Latin class that regina means 'queen', just as rex means 'king'.

paired with rex (king) for gender contrast

The title regina was used for Empress Livia and goddess Juno Regina, worshipped on the Capitoline Hill.

同義詞
  • queen

    the direct English equivalent, used in everyday contexts

  • monarch

    broader term for a sovereign ruler, not specific to women

  • sovereign

    formal term for the supreme ruler of a state

反義詞
  • rex

    the Latin word for king

文法句型

regina as a standalone Latin loanword

regina + [Latin epithet] (e.g. regina caeli)

用法筆記

In modern English prose, regina is usually italicised to show it is a foreign word. The abbreviation REG or REG. appears on British coins during a queen's reign.