rector

1 of 2

noun (1)

rec·​tor ˈrek-tər 

1

: one that directs : leader

2

a

: a member of the clergy (as of the Protestant Episcopal Church) in charge of a parish

b

: an incumbent of a Church of England benefice in full possession of its rights

c

: a Roman Catholic priest directing a church with no pastor or one whose pastor has other duties

3

: the head of a university or school

rectorate

ˈrek-t(ə-)rət 

noun

rectorial

rek-ˈtȯr-ē-əl 

adjective

rectorship

ˈrek-tər-ˌship 

noun

rectorship

2 of 2

noun (2)

rec·​tor·​ship ˈrek-tər-ˌship 

1

: the office of a governor or ruler

2

: the office of rector especially of a university or of a parish

Examples of rector in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The Rectory As the name suggests, The Rectory was originally home to the rector of nearby All Saints’ Church and his 14 children. — Lindsay Cohn, Travel + Leisure, 13 June 2026

About 120 of them engage in adoration and weekend-long spiritual retreats, the first of which saw organizers and the basilica’s rector stay up to prepare the church until well past midnight. — ABC News, 1 June 2026

Fabrizio Giulio Luca Pilo, vice rector of innovation at the University of Cagliari, has been working to help Sardinia transition to cleaner, more reliable energy. — IEEE Spectrum, 7 May 2026

Among the major threats to Rocha Moya’s political survival was the outcry about the 2024 shooting death of his one-time chief political rival, Héctor Melesio Cuén Ojeda, a former lawmaker and university rector. — Steve Fisher, Los Angeles Times, 26 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Latin, from regere to direct — more at right

Noun (2)

rector + -ship

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for rector

• hector
• lector
• nectar
• sector
• specter
• spectre
• vector
• bisector
• collector
• connector
• corrector
• defector

Kids Definition

rector

noun

rec·​tor ˈrek-tər 

1

: a member of the clergy who has charge of a church or parish

2

: the priest in charge of certain Roman Catholic religious houses

3

: the head of a university or school