regimentum

Latin regimentum came from regere (to rule, to guide, to keep straight). The word entered Old French as regiment, meaning government, rule, a system of control. When English borrowed it in the fourteenth century, it meant the same thing: governance, order, a regulated way of living. A regiment of health was a medical regimen. A regiment of a kingdom was its system of government. The word had nothing to do with soldiers.

The military meaning appeared in the sixteenth century, first in French, then in English. A regiment was a body of soldiers organized under a single command — regimented, ruled, kept in order. The word was perfect for the purpose: armies needed regere more than any other institution. The transition from 'governance' to 'military unit' was natural. A regiment was a unit defined by its discipline.

The regiment became the standard organizational unit of European armies. Each regiment had its own colors, traditions, identity, and history. The British regimental system, in particular, created fierce loyalties. Soldiers identified with their regiment more than with the army. The Coldstream Guards, the Black Watch, the Gurkha Rifles — these were not just administrative divisions but communities with centuries of tradition.

The adjective 'regimented' now means excessively controlled or rigid. A regimented schedule. A regimented childhood. The word has drifted from military organization to any form of strict ordering. The same root that gave Latin its verb for governing now names both a military unit and a criticism of excessive order. Rule became regulation became rigidity.