chancellor

[chan-suh-ler, -sler, chahn-]

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noun

the chief minister of state in certain parliamentary governments, as in Germany; prime minister; premier.

the chief administrative officer in certain American universities.

a secretary, as to a king or noble or of an embassy.

the priest in charge of a Roman Catholic chancery.

the title of various important judges and other high officials.

(in some states of the U.S.) the judge of a court of equity or chancery.

British. the honorary, nonresident, titular head of a university.

Compare vice-chancellor.

Origin of chancellor

before 1100; Middle English chanceler < Anglo-French < Late Latin cancellārius doorkeeper, literally, man at the barrier (see chancel, -er²); replacing Middle English canceler, Old English ≪ Late Latin, as above

Related formsun·der·chan·cel·lor, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for chancellor

referee, court, expert, justice, authority, critic, inspector, judge, administrator, representative, minister, executive, bureaucrat, commissioner, agent, director, manager, officer, leader, secretary

Examples from the Web for chancellor

Contemporary Examples of chancellor

Former Ole Miss chancellor Robert Khayat explains how his school solved the problem.
Stars and Bars on Cars in Texas
Robert Khayat
July 28, 2014
As chancellor of the University of Mississippi, Robert Khayat helped remove confederate flags from the football stadium.
Rebels Rise Again Over Flag Banning
Robert Khayat
July 28, 2014
But in her clear-eyed understanding of the Russian threat, the Chancellor is an exception among the German political class.
Why We Need to Spy on the Germans
James Kirchick
July 9, 2014
The chancellor seemed what can only be described as nervously-at-ease throughout the encounter with the six children.
Why 7 Times 8 Tripped Up the UK Chancellor
Tim Teeman
July 4, 2014
It was now safely back in its cage, although the chancellor sometimes let it play in the bath, he said.
Why 7 Times 8 Tripped Up the UK Chancellor
Tim Teeman
July 4, 2014

Historical Examples of chancellor

His eyes rested a moment on the striking figure of the Chancellor's daughter.
The Coryston Family
Mrs. Humphry Ward
Then Charles took counsel in the matter with the Chancellor.
The Historical Nights Entertainment, Second Series
Rafael Sabatini
Leopold saw it, and remembered, as the Chancellor hoped he would.
The Princess Virginia
C. N. Williamson
Egon gave a laugh at his own repartee, but the Chancellor heard neither.
The Princess Virginia
C. N. Williamson
“The creature must be a fool, or an adventuress,” pronounced the Chancellor.
The Princess Virginia
C. N. Williamson

British Dictionary definitions for chancellor

chancellor

noun

the head of the government in several European countries

US the president of a university or, in some colleges, the chief administrative officer

British and Canadian the honorary head of a universityCompare vice chancellor (def. 1)

US (in some states) the presiding judge of a court of chancery or equity

British the chief secretary of an embassy

Christianity a clergyman acting as the law officer of a bishop

archaic the chief secretary of a prince, nobleman, etc

Derived Formschancellorship, noun

Word Origin for chancellor

C11: from Anglo-French chanceler, from Late Latin cancellārius porter, secretary, from Latin cancellī lattice; see chancel

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

Word Origin and History for chancellor

early 12c., from Old French chancelier (12c.), from Late Latin cancellarius "keeper of the barrier, secretary, usher of a law court," so called because he worked behind a lattice (Latin cancellus) at a basilica or law court (see chancel). In the Roman Empire, a sort of court usher; the post gradually gained importance in the Western kingdoms. A variant form, canceler, existed in Old English, from Old North French, but was replaced by this central French form.