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

Taking part in patrols and teaching — Cardona is also an adjunct professor at California State University, Northridge — makes self-care a struggle.

From Salon • Mar. 2, 2026

CFTC, chief executive officer of Gattaca Horizons, and an adjunct professor at the Georgetown University Law Center.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 6, 2026

Beyond his on-screen roles, Finn was an improv performer and also taught at the University of Colorado, where he was an adjunct professor.

From BBC • Dec. 24, 2025

She also is an associate adjunct professor of management at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 19, 2025

“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