régner

reign, prevail

verb reh-NYEH Less Common

Origin: Latin regnare

Also means

dominate

Usage Note

Régner most often describes a monarch's rule, but in everyday French it also means a condition prevails — le silence régnait means 'silence reigned.' The related noun is règne (reign, era).

Examples

"La paix régnait dans le village."

Natural Translation

Peace reigned in the village.

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