chancellor

American  

[chan-suh-ler, -sler, chahn-] / ˈtʃæn sə lər, -slər, ˈtʃɑn- /

noun

• chancellors
  plural

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

2. the chief administrative officer in certain American universities.

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

4. the priest in charge of a Roman Catholic chancery.

5. the title of various important judges and other high officials.

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

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

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chancellor British  

/ ˈtʃɑːnsələ, -slə /

noun

1. the head of the government in several European countries

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

3. the honorary head of a university Compare vice chancellor

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

5. the chief secretary of an embassy

6. Christianity a clergyman acting as the law officer of a bishop

7. archaic the chief secretary of a prince, nobleman, etc

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• chancellorship
  noun
• underchancellor
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• chancellors
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of chancellor

before 1100; Middle English chanceler < Anglo-French < Late Latin cancellārius doorkeeper, literally, man at the barrier ( see chancel, -er ²); replacing Middle English canceler, Old English ≪ Late Latin, as above

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Explanation

Use the noun chancellor to describe the president of your college, or the head of the German government. The word chancellor is often capitalized, depending on whom it's being used to describe. Many governments use the term to describe people with varying amounts of power, from the head of state to judges and financial officials. The head of a university is frequently called a chancellor too. The Latin root is cancellarius, an usher or guard in a court of law.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

chancellor chancellors

The chancellor noted Amazon investments worth 16 billion euros and a German government partnership with US chipmaking giant Nvidia.

From Barron's ● Oct. 20, 2026

The chancellor has been seeking to regain some of his lost momentum by demonstrating Germany's appeal to investors and bolstering the muted economic recovery.

From Barron's ● Oct. 20, 2026

Continuing with pre-Budget speculation, the Times says "no increase to capital gains tax" is expected to be handed down as "chancellor resists pressure" from allies of Prime Minister Andy Burnham.

From BBC ● Oct. 19, 2026

Weirich expected a “better future” after Hitler became chancellor in 1933.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026

Malcolm set off down the corridor, with Asta whispering, “See? Who was right, then? The lord chancellor of England, no less!”

From "The Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage" by Philip Pullman

Five of UC’s nine undergraduate campuses also have new chancellors.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 9, 2026

Commissioner Brett Yormark hastily scheduled a meeting with the league’s athletic directors, presidents and chancellors later this week to discuss the outcome.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 9, 2026

Before Jenrick's defection, both Tice and Yusuf had been considered potential chancellors in a future Reform government.

From BBC ● Feb. 17, 2026

But the Big Ten school chancellors and presidents soon ran into a dilemma of their own making.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 5, 2025

Cases of hardship, which the early chancellors would certainly have relieved, were passed over by later judges, simply because no precedent could be found for their interference.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 9, Slice 7 "Equation" to "Ethics" by Various

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Related Words

• administrator
• agent
• bureaucrat
• civil servant
• commissioner
• director
• executive
• leader
• manager
• minister
• officer
• representative
• secretary

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