associate professor

American  

noun

1. a teacher in a college or university who ranks above an assistant professor and below a professor.

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associate professor British  

noun

1. (in the US and Canada) a university teacher lower in rank than a full professor but higher than an assistant professor

2. (in New Zealand) a senior lecturer holding the rank below professor

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Other Word Forms

• associate professorship
  noun

Etymology

Origin of associate professor

First recorded in 1815–25

Example Sentences

About 40% to 50% of small-business owners expect to retire within the next decade, Jegoo Lee, associate professor of management at the University of Rhode Island’s College of Business, said.

From MarketWatch • Jul. 10, 2026

Georgia Gemenetzi, an associate professor of urban planning at the University of Thessaly in central Greece says "there are positive and negative aspects" to this project, "which aims to boost economic growth".

From Barron's • Jul. 3, 2026

A whole generation grew up under repression, economic collapse and came of age hating him, said Narges Bajoghli, associate professor at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 3, 2026

Study co-author Dr Chris Williamson, associate professor in polar microbiology, emphasised that this "hidden diversity" highlights that further samples are needed.

From BBC • Jun. 30, 2026

Helmholtz was an associate professor at the Prussian University of Konigsberg and one of the leading scientists of his day.

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel