What does regularisation mean?
Regularisation is the process of making forms follow a regular, consistent pattern. Its most characteristic use is in linguistics, where it describes the treatment of irregular grammatical forms as though they obeyed the usual rules. For example, a historically irregular plural might eventually be regularised by adding -s in the standard way. The word can also describe broader efforts to make spelling, writing, or administrative procedures uniform and systematic. It is generally neutral, although the suggestion that an irregular form should be regularised can sometimes carry a negative implication, particularly when established usage, identity, or cultural significance is involved. Regularisation is especially associated with the historical development of vocabulary and grammar, but it also has practical uses in education, publishing, spelling reform, and institutional policy. The British spelling regularisation uses -isation, while regularization is the usual North American form.
nounThe act or process of making something regular, uniform, or consistent with a standard. In linguistics, it refers to the treatment of irregular words or forms according to the usual grammatical or spelling patterns.
- The process of making a language, spelling system, or set of forms regular by applying consistent rules, especially to words or inflections that previously followed irregular patterns.
- The general process of making something uniform, standardized, or consistent in form.
"The regularisation of the plural forms made the text easier for young readers to understand."
"Linguistic regularisation gradually reduced the number of irregular plurals inherited from earlier forms of English."
"The committee proposed the regularisation of the department's reporting procedures."
The plural is regularisations in British spelling and regularizations in North American spelling.
"The reforms included several sensible regularisations of older spellings."
Regularisation quietly makes language tidier: irregular forms are persuaded to follow the rules their neighbours already follow.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does regularisation come from?
Regularisation derives from regularize, which was formed from regular and the suffix -ize. In turn, regular comes through Latin regulāris from regula, meaning “rule” or “pattern,” the source also of regulate and rule. The noun entered English in the early 19th century and initially referred chiefly to mathematical and scientific ideas before acquiring its modern linguistic and general administrative senses.
Related word forms
How regularisation is actually used
The -isation spelling is traditionally British, while -ization is standard in North American English. In linguistics, the term is often used when discussing the replacement of irregular patterns with regular ones, but it need not imply that the older forms are incorrect.
Easily confused with regularisation
Regularisation is the traditional British spelling with -isation, while regularization is the standard North American spelling with -ization.