adjunct professor

American  

noun

1. a professor employed by a college or university for a specific purpose or length of time and often part-time.

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Usage

What does adjunct professor mean? An adjunct professor is a college or university professor whose employment is temporary or part-time. Adjunct professor (often shortened to simply adjunct)  is typically used to indicate that a professor does not have tenure or is not eligible for tenure. Tenure is a status granted to some professors (after they reach a certain amount of experience) that makes their position essentially permanent. Due to the temporary or part-time status of adjunct professors, this title sometimes carries a connotation that associates it with the difficulties of being in such a position, such as job insecurity and lack of benefits. Example: My math professor is an adjunct professor so he might not be here next semester.

Etymology

Origin of adjunct professor

First recorded in 1820–30

Example Sentences

In the suburbs of New York City, “inventory is just about as tight as it’s ever been,” says Jonathan Miller, an adjunct professor at Columbia University and the CEO of appraisal firm Miller Samuel.

From Barron's • May 31, 2026

"It's kind of a poisoned chalice for any Chinese defence minister to speak out publicly," said Jennifer Parker, adjunct professor at the University of Western Australia's Defence and Security Institute.

From Barron's • May 29, 2026

Romero is an adjunct professor at Pepperdine School of Public Policy.

From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026

Mr. McManus is a visiting fellow at the National Center for Energy Analytics, an adjunct professor of energy diplomacy at Georgetown University, and a former State Department official.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 18, 2026

“Yes. She is now teaching in America. She shares a cramped office with another adjunct professor, but she says at least teachers are paid there.”

From "Purple Hibiscus" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie