professor

/prəˈfɛsər/

/prəˈfɛsə/

Other forms: professors

A professor is someone who teaches at a college or university. Professor is officially a teacher of the highest rank, above adjuncts and lecturers, but college students can call them all professor.

The Latin origin of the word means “declare publicly,” and professors are responsible for publicly sharing their knowledge with the world, or at least with whoever can afford to pay them for lessons. Although anyone teaching college can be called a professor, it’s really a title that has to be earned by going to graduate school and moving up by being an assistant professor, then associate professor, and finally a full professor.

Definitions of professor

1. noun

   someone who is a member of the faculty at a college or university
   synonyms: prof

   types:

   assistant professor

   a teacher or lower rank than an associate professor

   associate professor

   a teacher lower in rank than a full professor but higher than an assistant professor

   full professor

   a professor of the highest rank

   Regius professor

   holder of a British professorship created by a royal patron

   visiting professor

   a professor visiting another college or university to teach for a limited time

   type of:

   academic, academician, faculty member

   an educator who works at a college or university