professor

noun

pro·​fes·​sor prə-ˈfe-sər How to pronounce professor (audio)
1
: one that professes, avows, or declares
2
a
: a faculty member of the highest academic rank at an institution of higher education
b
: a teacher at a university, college, or sometimes secondary school
c
: one that teaches or professes special knowledge of an art, sport, or occupation requiring skill
professorship noun

Examples of professor in a Sentence

Professor Williams will be teaching the class.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Ask professors or advisors to review your materials and provide feedback. Johnny C. Taylor Jr, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2025 Walt Norem, a beloved professor at UNC Charlotte at the time of the crash, was returning from a business trip. Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 10 Sep. 2025 But Postman, then a professor of culture and media studies at NYU, believed Americans were fixated on the wrong dystopia. Time, 10 Sep. 2025 Paul Kurtz, a Buffalo State philosophy professor who chaired the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal in the mid-1980s, said that before the surgery, Jack had some issues around short-term memory loss. Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 10 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for professor

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of professor was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Professor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/professor. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

professor

noun
pro·​fes·​sor prə-ˈfes-ər How to pronounce professor (audio)
: a teacher especially of the highest rank at a college or university
professorial
ˌprō-fə-ˈsōr-ē-əl How to pronounce professor (audio)
ˌpräf-ə-
-ˈsȯr-
adjective
professorially adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on professor

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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