ENGLISH
REFERENCE

professor

n. countable
A2 Elementary Oxford US //pɹəˈfɛsɝ// UK //pɹəfˈɛsɐ// pro·fes·sor Archaic General-service Informal Slang Vulgar

n. a teacher of the highest rank at a college or university.

n. a university teacher of the highest academic rank. In North American English, the term is often applied more broadly to any post-secondary educator.


SIMPLE

The professor gives a lecture every Monday morning.

CONTEXTUAL

After years of research and publishing several books, she was finally promoted to full professor.

COMPLEX

The visiting professor delivered a series of seminars on quantum mechanics that challenged the existing theories held by the department's senior faculty.

Synonyms
Origin

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.

Usage

Often used as a title before a surname, such as Professor Smith.

Pitfall

He is a professor in a high school.He is a teacher in a high school.In English, 'professor' is reserved for university-level educators; 'teacher' is used for primary and secondary schools.

© 2026 English Reference