What does regularise mean?
To regularise something is to make it regular, consistent, or subject to an orderly rule. The word is especially common in administrative and legal contexts: a government may regularise the status of undocumented residents, while an institution may regularise its procedures or the spelling of its records. It can also describe making a technical process more uniform, as in regularising an algorithm or system. Regularise is the usual British spelling, although regularize is standard in American English and also accepted elsewhere. The word is related to regular and ultimately to the Latin root meaning “rule,” reflecting its central meaning: bringing something under a consistent standard. Although it can imply sensible order and fairness, its frequent use in official language may also suggest bureaucracy, procedural control, or the imposition of uniformity.
verbTo make something regular, uniform, or consistent with an established rule or standard. It can also mean to bring an irregular status or practice under systematic control.
- To make something regular, uniform, or consistent with a standard.
- To bring an irregular status, arrangement, or practice under a systematic rule.
- To reduce something to a regular or consistent form.
"The committee proposed measures to regularise the registration of community organisations."
"The new policy will regularise access to the archive for approved researchers."
"The tribunal was created to regularise the employment status of irregular workers."
From the Latin for “rule,” regularise originally meant making something conform to a rule—and that idea survives in its modern use.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does regularise come from?
The word derives from Latin regularis, meaning “according to rule” or “in accordance with an order,” which is related to regere, “to rule or direct.” Regularise developed in English in the early 16th century in the sense of making something regular or reducing it to a rule or order. Its cognates include regular, rule, rational, and regal, all of which reflect the same broad Latin family associated with rule, order, and direction.
Related word forms
How regularise is actually used
Common in British, Australian, and other varieties that use the ending -ise; American English normally uses regularize. The word often has an administrative or institutional tone, especially when referring to legal status, registration, spelling, or procedures.
Easily confused with regularise
To regularise is to make something conform to a rule or standard, whereas to regulate is to control or manage its operation.
Regularise is the standard British spelling, while regularize is the standard spelling in American English.