provost

noun

pro·​vost ˈprō-ˌvōst 

ˈprä-vəst, 

ˈprō-vəst

especially before another noun ˌprō-(ˌ)vō

1

: the chief dignitary of a collegiate or cathedral chapter

2

: the chief magistrate of a Scottish burgh

3

: the keeper of a prison

4

: a high-ranking university administrative officer

Examples of provost in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

This sends the wrong message to students, says Paul Novosad, an economics professor at Dartmouth College, a school whose own provost’s use of AI in writing led to the administrator’s recent resignation. — Austin Horn, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 Oct. 2026

Continue reading … ETHICAL STANDARDS — Dartmouth provost resigns over undisclosed AI use. — FOXNews.com, 29 Oct. 2026

Senior administrators, including FIU President Jeanette Nuñez, the provost, police chief, general counsel and dean of students, participated in the meetings. — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 29 Oct. 2026

As provost at Johns Hopkins, Jayawardhana co-signed a 2024 statement committing the university to restraint in taking public positions on social and political issues, a practice often called institutional neutrality. — Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English profost & Anglo-French provost, from Medieval Latin propositus, alteration of praepositus, from Latin, one in charge, director, from past participle of praeponere to place at the head — more at preposition

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing provost

• provost court
• provost guard
• provost marshal

Kids Definition

provost

noun

pro·​vost ˈprō-ˌvōst 

ˈpräv-əst

before "marshal" often ˌprō-vō

: a high managing officer (as in a university)