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lecturer

American  
[lek-cher-er] / ˈlɛk tʃər ər /

noun

lecturers plural
  1. a person who lectures.

  2. an academic rank given in colleges and universities to a teacher ranking below assistant professor.


lecturer British  
/ ˈlɛktʃərə /

noun

  1. a person who lectures

  2. a teacher in higher education without professorial status

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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Etymology

Origin of lecturer

First recorded in 1560–70; lecture + -er 1

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Explanation

A lecturer is someone who stands up in front of a class and gives an organized talk designed to teach you something. There are lots of lecturers at colleges and universities. Although many professors lecture, in this country the title lecturer usually refers to a teacher who is not a permanent member of the faculty but one of the many college instructors who does not have tenure. The lecturer may even be hired for a single semester or year. The title is used slightly differently in England. There are some professional lecturers — people, like former President Bill Clinton, who make their living by going around the world giving speeches.

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Vocabulary lists containing lecturer

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Dr Sarah Son, Senior Lecturer in Korean Studies at the University of Sheffield, said the move "could be controversial" as it "turns still-unresolved war into entertainment".

From BBC • May 29, 2026

Dr Joseph Barker, a clinical psychologist for the NHS and Lecturer in Clinical Psychology at Norwich Medical School, advises getting a good rest the night before.

From BBC • Jul. 26, 2025

In recent years, Hussain has served as an educator in residence at Princeton University and Stanford University and, in 2015, was appointed Regents Lecturer at UC Berkeley, his family’s statement said.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 16, 2024

Dr Lee Hutt, Lecturer in Biomedical Sciences at the University of Plymouth, is the study's senior author.

From Science Daily • May 31, 2024

Lecturer to the University in Foreign History, 1902-1904.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 5, Appendix Author List by Various

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