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.
Arthur was originally a scholar of the Elizabethan drama—a professor at Boston University for a number of years before moving to London and working for Quaritch, one of the oldest bookseller firms in the world focusing on antiquarian books. JSTOR Daily, 16 Oct. 2025 In my first novel, The Laughter, the middle-aged white male protagonist is an English professor who doesn’t understand why the university must give in to demands for a more diverse curriculum and faculty rather than simply teach about truth and beauty from the literary canon. Literary Hub, 15 Oct. 2025 Wu teamed up with Obielodan, an engineering professor with expertise in 3-D printing. Kelly Meyerhofer, jsonline.com, 15 Oct. 2025 Duckworth, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania and MacArthur Fellow, defines grit as two interconnected components that work together over time. Dave Smith, Fortune, 15 Oct. 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 17 Oct. 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

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