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START / NODE 748Present-Day English15th century–today
regulate
To govern, direct, order, or adjust according to a rule; entering English from Late Latin formations on rēgula.
“To regulate is historically to bring something under a rule, and that rule descends from the straightedge branch.”OPEN COMPLETE WORD DOSSIER ↗
EVERY REVIEWED PARENT, NOT ONE EDITORIAL PATH
FOLLOW EVERY BRANCH.
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01
PARENT ROUTES1 REVIEWED RELATIONSHIP
Present-Day Englishregulate
govern, order, direct, or adjust according to rule
↑GO DEEPER
Middle English · Middle Englishregulategovern or direct according to rule
- SOUND CHANGE
- Modern regulate continues the reported Middle English verb.
- SEMANTIC CHANGE
- Govern or direct according to rule expands to ordering, controlling, and technical adjustment.
- SCHOLAR
- Merriam-Webster Editors
- CONFIDENCE
- established
- CHRONOLOGY
- Merriam-Webster reports use in the fifteenth century.
THE ASTERISK IS A PROMISE
RECONSTRUCTION IS
NOT INSCRIPTION.
Crossing into a starred form changes the evidence class. The interface marks that crossing, preserves confidence, and never manufactures the next root to make the picture look complete.