chancellor

[ chan-suh-ler, -sler, chahn- ]

noun

1. the chief minister of state in certain parliamentary governments, as in Germany; prime minister; premier.
2. the chief administrative officer in certain American universities.
3. a secretary, as to a king or noble or of an embassy.
4. the priest in charge of a Roman Catholic chancery.
5. the title of various important judges and other high officials.
6. (in some states of the U.S.) the judge of a court of equity or chancery.
7. British. the honorary, nonresident, titular head of a university.

chancellor

/ -slə; ˈtʃɑːnsələ /

noun

1. the head of the government in several European countries
2. the president of a university or, in some colleges, the chief administrative officer
3. the honorary head of a university Compare vice chancellor
4. (in some states) the presiding judge of a court of chancery or equity
5. the chief secretary of an embassy
6. Christianity a clergyman acting as the law officer of a bishop
7. archaic.
   the chief secretary of a prince, nobleman, etc

Derived Forms

• ˈchancellorˌship, noun

Other Words From

• under·chancel·lor noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of chancellor¹

before 1100; Middle English chanceler < Anglo-French < Late Latin cancellārius doorkeeper, literally, man at the barrier ( chancel, -er ² ); replacing Middle English canceler, Old English ≪ Late Latin, as above

Word History and Origins

Origin of chancellor¹

C11: from Anglo-French chanceler, from Late Latin cancellārius porter, secretary, from Latin cancellī lattice; see chancel

Example Sentences

Former Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has said there was "much to welcome" in Reeves' suggested reforms, though shadow chancellor Mel Stride has added that Conservatives will be "looking closely at the detail".

From BBC

The sentencing review is now open for submissions from the public about how the prison system can be improved and will submit findings to the Lord Chancellor by Spring 2025.

From BBC

UK public sector pension funds are not big enough to generate good returns for British savers, Chancellor Rachel Reeves has told the BBC.

From BBC

The National Insurance rise, announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves in her Budget last month, will see the tax employers pay on employees' earnings rise from 13.8% to 15% from April 2025.

From BBC

The country was plunged into crisis after Chancellor Olaf Scholz, of the Social Democrats, fired the finance minister and coalition partner, Christian Lindner of the Free Democrats, following weeks of internal tensions.

From BBC

Related Words

• administrator
• agent
• bureaucrat
• civil servant
• commissioner
• director
• executive
• leader
• manager
• minister
• officer
• representative
• secretary