Currently ruling as a monarch or being the dominant force in a particular area or activity.
From Old French 'regner' and Latin 'regnare,' meaning 'to rule.' Originally referred specifically to monarchs on thrones. The meaning expanded to describe anyone or anything currently dominant in their field.
The word 'reign' comes from the same root as 'region'—both connect to the idea of control over territory. That's why we say reigning champions, reigning beauty queens, and even reigning theories in science.
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