chancellor

American  

[chan-suh-ler, -sler, chahn-] / ˈtʃæn sə lər, -slər, ˈtʃɑn- /

noun

• chancellors
  plural

1. the chief minister of state in certain parliamentary governments, as in Germany; prime minister; premier.

2. the chief administrative officer in certain American universities.

3. a secretary, as to a king or noble or of an embassy.

4. the priest in charge of a Roman Catholic chancery.

5. the title of various important judges and other high officials.

6. (in some states of the U.S.) the judge of a court of equity or chancery.

7. British. the honorary, nonresident, titular head of a university.

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chancellor British  

/ -slə, ˈtʃɑːnsələ /

noun

1. the head of the government in several European countries

2. the president of a university or, in some colleges, the chief administrative officer

3. the honorary head of a university Compare vice chancellor

4. (in some states) the presiding judge of a court of chancery or equity

5. the chief secretary of an embassy

6. Christianity a clergyman acting as the law officer of a bishop

7. archaic the chief secretary of a prince, nobleman, etc

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• chancellorship
  noun
• underchancellor
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• chancellors
  plural

Etymology

Origin of chancellor

before 1100; Middle English chanceler < Anglo-French < Late Latin cancellārius doorkeeper, literally, man at the barrier ( see chancel, -er ²); replacing Middle English canceler, Old English ≪ Late Latin, as above

Explanation

Use the noun chancellor to describe the president of your college, or the head of the German government. The word chancellor is often capitalized, depending on whom it's being used to describe. Many governments use the term to describe people with varying amounts of power, from the head of state to judges and financial officials. The head of a university is frequently called a chancellor too. The Latin root is cancellarius, an usher or guard in a court of law.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

chancellor chancellors

Chris Smith, the University of Cambridge's chancellor, told the BBC he believed it was important for such claims to be "rigorously investigated".

From Barron's ● Aug. 17, 2026

In a letter to the Brown community, university chancellor Brian Moynihan praised Paxson for overseeing the fundraising for about 150 endowed professorships and expanded access to student aid.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026

Emily D. Engelschall, associate vice chancellor for enrollment services at UC Riverside, pointed out that the campus admitted 13% more community college transfers.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 29, 2026

Healey's imminent appointment as chancellor was a surprise - to him, to his Labour colleagues, and to the British public.

From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026

“That’s Lord Nugent, that is—the old boy. He used to be the lord chancellor of England.”

From "The Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage" by Philip Pullman

Five of UC’s nine undergraduate campuses also have new chancellors.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 9, 2026

Over the same period, seven foreign secretaries, six chancellors of the exchequer and four cabinet secretaries.

From BBC ● May 16, 2026

Before Jenrick's defection, both Tice and Yusuf had been considered potential chancellors in a future Reform government.

From BBC ● Feb. 17, 2026

In a meeting with Big Ten presidents and chancellors at the time, Daniels suggested they agree to share a portion of their anticipated TV spoils with academics, he recalled.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 5, 2025

The German Social Democracy has always opposed the colonial policy of the chancellors on the same ground, and the Belgian Labor Party has been the severest censor of the Belgian Congo campaigns.

From Socialism and Democracy in Europe by Samuel P. Orth

Related Words

• administrator
• agent
• bureaucrat
• civil servant
• commissioner
• director
• executive
• leader
• manager
• minister
• officer
• representative
• secretary