professor

[ pruh-fes-er ]

noun

1. a teacher of the highest academic rank in a college or university, who has been awarded the title Professor in a particular branch of learning; a full professor:

   a professor of Spanish literature.

2. any teacher who has the rank of professor, associate professor, or assistant professor.
3. a teacher.
4. an instructor in some art or skilled sport:

   a professor of singing; a professor of boxing.

5. a person who professes or declares particular sentiments, beliefs, etc.

professor

/ prəˈfɛsə; ˌprɒfɪˈsɔːrɪəl /

noun

1. the principal lecturer or teacher in a field of learning at a university or college; a holder of a university chair
2. any teacher in a university or college See also associate professor assistant professor full professor
3. a person who claims skill and instructs others in some sport, occupation, etc
4. a person who professes his opinions, beliefs, etc

Derived Forms

• ˌprofesˈsorially, adverb
• professorial, adjective

Other Words From

• pro·fes·so·ri·al [proh-f, uh, -, sawr, -ee-, uh, l, -, sohr, -, prof-, uh, -], adjective
• profes·sori·al·ism noun
• profes·sori·al·ly adverb
• nonpro·fes·sori·al adjective
• nonpro·fes·sori·al·ly adverb
• pseudo·profes·sori·al adjective
• subpro·fessor noun
• unpro·fes·sori·al adjective
• unpro·fes·sori·al·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of professor¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English from Medieval Latin prōfessor “one who has taken the vows of a religious order,” Latin: “a public lecturer,” equivalent to prō- pro- ¹ + -fet-, combining form of fatērī “to acknowledge, declare” + -tor -tor, with tt becoming ss

Word History and Origins

Origin of professor¹

C14: from Medieval Latin: one who has made his profession in a religious order, from Latin: a public teacher; see profess

Example Sentences

With his Buddy Holly glasses, scruffy boho beard, floppy hair and turtleneck sweater, Adams — who is called the Big Lad — is lazily charismatic, with the precociously paternal air of a cool, or seemingly cool, assistant professor — he calls Dolours, who in real life was only two years younger, “child.”

From Los Angeles Times

Professor Daniel Field from Cambridge’s Department of Earth Sciences, who was the senior author of the research, said modern birds, like crows and parrots, had some of the most advanced cognitive capabilities in the animal kingdom.

From BBC

“As abortion bans strip away access, the need for abortion care continues,” said Alison Norris, MD, PhD, #WeCount Co-Chair and professor at The Ohio State University’s College of Public Health and co-principal investigator of the Ohio Policy Evaluation Network.

From Salon

"Her politics, which are otherwise incoherent, tend to be sympathetic to these two strongmen, painting America as the problem and the dictators as misunderstood," wrote anti-Trump conservative and former Naval War College professor Tom Nichols in an op-ed published by The Atlantic.

From Salon

"This is a disaster for US security & alliances. Of all Trump's decisions so far, might be the worst. Tulsi Gabbard has consistently parroted pro-Putin propaganda. Director of National Intelligence is a critical position for which she has absolutely no experience and skill," Thomas Judeau, professor at the University of Ottawa, wrote in an X post.

From Salon

Related Words

• assistant
• educator
• faculty member
• fellow
• instructor
• lecturer
• principal
• teacher
• tutor