instructor

American  

[in-struhk-ter] / ɪnˈstrʌk tər /

noun

1. a person who instructs; teacher.

   Synonyms:

   pedagogue, preceptor, schoolmaster, tutor

2. a teacher in a college or university who ranks below an assistant professor.

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instructor British  

/ ɪnˈstrʌktə, ɪnˈstrʌktrɪs /

noun

1. someone who instructs; teacher

2. a university teacher ranking below assistant professor

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Other Word Forms

• instructorial adjective
• instructorship noun
• instructress noun
• self-instructor noun

Etymology

Origin of instructor

1425–75; late Middle English < Latin, equivalent to instruc-, variant stem of instruere ( instruct ) + -tor -tor

Compare meaning

How does instructor compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• instructor vs. lecturer

Example Sentences

Mr. Mansfield in his classroom teaching made few of the concessions to cultural decline made by most instructors, including this reviewer.

From The Wall Street Journal

His father, who was a parachute instructor with the U.S.

From Los Angeles Times

Passing sentence, Assistant Judge Advocate General Jane England said training centre rules included "no fraternisation between recruits and instructors".

From BBC

This means some teenage recruits might earn more than their instructors—one young Bundeswehr officer said this was causing some grumblings in the ranks.

From The Wall Street Journal

Brown, the former federal instructor and now a lead police trainer at the University of South Carolina, echoed that.

From Salon

Related Words

• adviser
• coach
• guide
• lecturer
• mentor
• professor
• teacher
• trainer
• tutor