n.1 an area of land, or division of the earth's surface, having definable boundaries or characteristics (a mountainous region; the region between London and the coast).
2 an administrative district esp. in Scotland.
3 a part of the body round or near some organ etc. (the lumbar region).
4 a sphere or realm (the region of metaphysics).
5 a a separate part of the world or universe. b a layer of the atmosphere or the sea according to its height or depth.
Phrases and idioms:
in the region of approximately.
Derivatives:
regional adj. regionalism n. regionalist n. & adj. regionalize v.tr. (also -ise). regionally adv.
Etymology: ME f. OF f. L regio -onis direction, district f. regere direct