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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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Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Nouns

Etymology

Origin of lecturer

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

Compare meaning

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

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.

See Examples For:

Farage "could easily be forced to face another by-election in a matter of weeks," Stuart Fox, senior lecturer in politics at Exeter University, told AFP.

From Barron's Aug. 14, 2026

“Traditionally, at age 60, target-date funds go mainly into bonds. I disagree with that strategy,” said Robert Pozen, a senior lecturer at Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Sloan School of Management.

From MarketWatch Aug. 7, 2026

"I would say it is," says Dr Rachael Kent, a senior lecturer in digital economy and society at King's College, London.

From BBC Aug. 5, 2026

Tayseer Al-Hassan, 54, a lecturer at Erada International Academy, also recalled Nov. 22.

From Los Angeles Times Aug. 5, 2026

It was only after Pappachi died that Chacko resigned his job as lecturer at the Madras Christian College, and came to Ayemenem with his Balliol Oar and his Pickle Baron dreams.

From "The God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy

"Do I know if the experienced senior lecturers are going to be there to deliver that programme? Will I get the quality of education that I desire? Will I get the support that I need?"

From BBC May 17, 2026

A 22-year-old Kabul University student said lecturers "have warned us... that if we don't have a proper Islamic appearance, which includes beards and head covering, they will deduct our marks".

From Barron's Feb. 19, 2026

In her preface to “Inhabit the Poem,” she writes that the “popular belief that ‘gatekeepers’—publishers, university lecturers, anthologists, and advertisers—create the longevity of the authors we call ‘canonical’ is false.

From The Wall Street Journal Dec. 26, 2025

In November, students and lecturers protested over the University of Nottingham's decision to suspend its modern languages and music courses, with no new students set to be enrolled beyond 2026.

From BBC Dec. 15, 2025

All the children of the Gentry, regardless of age, are taught by lecturers from all over the kingdom on the grounds of the palace.

From "The Cruel Prince" by Holly Black

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