professor

Alternative forms

• professour (archaic)

Etymology

Derived from Anglo-Norman proffessur, from Latin professor (“declarer, person who claims knowledge”), from the past participle stem of profiteor (“profess”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /pɹəˈfɛsə/

• Audio (UK):

  (file)

• (General American) IPA^(key): /pɹəˈfɛsɚ/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛsə(ɹ)

Noun

professor (plural professors)

2. The most senior rank for an academic at a university or similar institution.

   Synonyms: prof, Prof.

   • 2014 November 22, Michel Clasquin-Johnson, “What is the difference between a research professor and a professor”, in Quora‎:

     Professor is what you become after teaching for twenty to thirty years.

3. (US, Philippines, informal) A teacher or faculty member at a college or university regardless of formal rank.
4. (archaic) One who professes something, such as a religious doctrine.
   • 1660, William Petty, Reflections upon some Persons and Things in Ireland, p. 170/1:

     As for Religion, I have not said, much lesse meant irreverently of it, or of the Professors thereof.

   • 1897, Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers (transl.) The Book of the Sacred Magic of Abramelin the Mage, Introduction, p. v:

     This period in which Abraham the Jew lived was one in which Magic was almost universally believed in, and in which its Professors were held in honour;

5. (obsolete) A practitioner, one who (publically) practises or teaches an art or skill.
   • 1592, Robert Green, The Thirde & Last Part of Conny-catching, Bodleian Library (Malone 575), London: John Lane. Reprinted in 1923, Harrison, G. B. (ed.), The Bodley Head Quartos III, Plainstow, Great Britain: Curwen Press, p. 29

     Two young men of familiar acquaintance [...] were one euening at a common Inne of this town (as I haue heard) where the one of them shewed his skill on the Virginals, to the no little contentement of the hearers. Nowe as diuers guests of the house came into the room to listen, so among the rest entered an artificiall Conny-catcher, who as occasion serued, in the time of ceissing betweene the seueral toyes and fancies hee plaid: very much commended his cunning, quicke hand, and such qualities praiseworthy in such a professour.

6. (US, slang) A pianist in a saloon, brothel, etc.
   • 2006, Thomas Pynchon, Against the Day, Vintage, published 2007, page 415:

     You could hear [...] pianos under the hands of whorehouse professors sounding like they came with keys between the keys.

7. The puppeteer who performs a Punch and Judy show; a Punchman.

Etymology

Internationalism; ultimately from Latin professor (“declarer, person who claims knowledge”).

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

professor (definite accusative professoru, plural professorlar)

1. professor

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin professōrem.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Central) [pɾu.fəˈso]
• IPA^(key): (Balearic) [pɾo.fəˈso]
• IPA^(key): (Valencia) [pɾo.feˈsoɾ]

Noun

professor m (plural professors, feminine professora)

1. professor
2. teacher

   Synonyms: mestre, ensenyant

3. (music) musician (in an orchestra)

Further reading

• “professor” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.
• “professor”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2025
• “professor” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
• “professor” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.

Noun

professor c (singular definite professoren, plural indefinite professorer)

1. professor

Further reading

• “professor” in Den Danske Ordbog

Etymology

Inherited from Middle Dutch professoor, from Latin professor.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˌproːˈfɛ.sɔr/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: pro‧fes‧sor

Noun

professor m (plural professoren or professors, diminutive professortje n)

1. professor

   Dr. Van Der Meulen is een gerespecteerde professor aan de Universiteit van Utrecht. ― Dr. Van Der Meulen is a respected professor at Utrecht University.

   De professor heeft zijn nieuwste onderzoek gepubliceerd in een internationaal tijdschrift. ― The professor published his latest research in an international journal.

   De professor is gespecialiseerd in moleculaire biologie. ― The professor specializes in molecular biology.

Etymology

From professus, from profiteor.

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /proˈfes.sor/, [prɔˈfɛs̠ːɔr]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /proˈfes.sor/, [proˈfɛsːor]

Noun

professor m (genitive professōris, feminine profestrīx); third declension

1. teacher, professor

References

• “professor”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• professor in Ramminger, Johann (2016 July 16 (last accessed)) Neulateinische Wortliste: Ein Wörterbuch des Lateinischen von Petrarca bis 1700‎, pre-publication website, 2005-2016

Etymology

Derived from Latin professor.

Noun

professor m (definite singular professoren, indefinite plural professorer, definite plural professorene)

1. professor (the highest academic rank at a university)

References

• “professor” in Det Norske Akademis ordbok (NAOB).
• “professor” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

Etymology

Derived from Latin professor.

Noun

professor m (definite singular professoren, indefinite plural professorar, definite plural professorane)

1. professor (the highest academic rank at a university)

References

• “professor” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Etymology

Derived from Latin professor.

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

professor m (plural professors, feminine professora, feminine plural professoras)

1. teacher (a person who teaches professionally)

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin professor.

Noun

professor m (plural *professores)

1. (hapax) teacher; professor
   • 1454, Michael de Villaboa, [Galicia Histórica]; republished as chapter 107, in Antonio López Ferreiro, editor, Galicia Histórica. Colección diplomática, Santiago: Tipografía Galaica, 1901–1903, page 469:

     (please add the primary text of this quotation)

     [Item que valla a clausula de payo que mandey screbir ao prior y maestro micael de villaboa payo romeu alfonsus frauli Rui de Santoeo e professor e prior fr.]

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

References

• Ernesto Xosé González Seoane, María Álvarez de la Granja, Ana Isabel Boullón Agrelo (2006–2022) “professor”, in Dicionario de Dicionarios do galego medieval (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• Xavier Varela Barreiro, Xavier Gómez Guinovart (2006–2018) “professor”, in Corpus Xelmírez - Corpus lingüístico da Galicia medieval (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega

Etymology

Inherited from Old Galician-Portuguese professor, borrowed from Latin professor.

Pronunciation

• Hyphenation: pro‧fes‧sor

Noun

professor m (plural professores, feminine professora, feminine plural professoras)

1. teacher (a person who teaches professionally)

   Synonyms: docente (chiefly in academic contexts), mestre (dated), educador (has an affectionate or poetic undertone)

   • 2006, Sergio Lorenzato, Para aprender matematica, Autores Associados, →ISBN, page 19:

     O professor propõe a adição 8+5 e alguns alunos não conseguem efetuá-la; contudo, se ela for representada como 8 laranjas mais 15 laranjas, eles a executam com êxito.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

2. (Brazil, soccer, slang) coach

   Synonym: treinador