Welcome To My Lesson

I came across this quote today in F1 Racing magazine:

The team... worked through a general engine, ancillaries and tyre development regime.

I was surprised, after a little digging, that this is a proper usage. My own feeling was that the writer really wanted the word

regimen.

reg·i·men (rĕj'ə-mən, -mĕn')
n.

1. Governmental rule or control.
2. The systematic procedure of a natural phenomenon or process.
3. --A) A regulated system, as of diet, therapy, or exercise, intended to promote health or achieve another beneficial effect. --B) A course of intense physical training.

[Middle English, from Latin.]

Regime, by contrast, sounds to me like a military government; but there it is, #4.

re·gime also ré·gime (rā-zhēm', rĭ-)
n.

1. --A) A form of government: a fascist regime --B) A government in power; administration: suffered under the new regime.
2. A prevailing social system or pattern.
3. The period during which a particular administration or system prevails.
4. A regulated system, as of diet and exercise; a regimen.

[French régime, from Old French, from Latin regimen, from regere, to rule.]

And of course, neither of these terms should be confused with

regiment.

reg·i·ment (rĕj'ə-mənt)
n.

1. A military unit of ground troops consisting of at least two battalions, usually commanded by a colonel.
2. A large group of people.

Though the verb form ties the three terms together.

tr.v., -ment·ed, -ment·ing, -ments. (rĕj'ə-mĕnt')

1. To form into a regiment.
2. To put into systematic order; systematize.
3. To subject to uniformity and rigid order.

[Middle English, government, rule, from Old French, from Late Latin regimentum, rule, from Latin regere, to rule.]

So this was all a valuable lesson for me, even if it only taught me that I compartmentalized things that are perfectly fine to mingle. Surely I should be old enough now that I don't have to learn any more!

Answers.com/regime, /regimen, /regiment.