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  

/ -slə, ˈtʃɑːnsələ /

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

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

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

A lawyer by trade who studied history at Brown University, where he is now the chancellor, Moynihan is known to be intelligent, with what some close to him describe as a photographic memory.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026

Emily D. Engelschall, associate vice chancellor for enrollment services at UC Riverside, pointed out that the campus admitted 13% more community college transfers.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 29, 2026

Official data Tuesday showed UK government borrowing dropped more than expected in June, handing a boost Healey, who replaced Rachel Reeves as chancellor of the exchequer.

From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026

Healey's imminent appointment as chancellor was a surprise - to him, to his Labour colleagues, and to the British public.

From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026

“Is the lord chancellor, Lord Nugent—ex-lord chancellor—an Oakley Street man?”

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

CSU’s chancellor, vice chancellors and university presidents will also receive enhanced retirement benefits and housing stipends for campus presidents will be increased.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 20, 2025

He was incessantly on his legs in committee, and became a name for an opposition bandog who gave chancellors of the exchequer no peace.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 13, Slice 8 "Hudson River" to "Hurstmonceaux" by Various

Related Words

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