professor

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A teacher at a college or university.

   My history professor gives the most interesting lectures.

2. 2
   noun

   The highest rank for a teacher at a university.

   After many years of research, she was finally made a full professor.

Common collocations

• appoint a professor Verb + noun
• fire a professor Verb + noun
• hire a professor Verb + noun
• full professor Adjective + noun
• visiting professor Adjective + noun

From Middle English professor, professour, from Anglo-Norman proffessur and its etymon Latin professor (“declarer, person who claims knowledge”), from the past participle stem of profiteor (“profess”). By surface analysis, profess + -or.

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