Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

full professor

American  

noun

  1. professor.


full professor British  

noun

  1. a university teacher of the highest academic rank

"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

Etymology

Origin of full professor

An Americanism dating back to 1930–35

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Bazer is still working as a full professor at Texas A&M University College of Agriculture & Life Sciences and tax law doesn’t require him to take RMDs until he retires later this year.

From Barron's • Jun. 13, 2026

Over the course of her career, she published hundreds of scientific papers and became the first woman to be appointed a full professor at Harvard University.

From BBC • Apr. 22, 2026

Back in the U.S., in 1972, Mr. Edwards started teaching at the Livingston College campus of New Jersey’s Rutgers University, where he became a full professor in 1980 and retired 22 years later.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026

It is just one of many alleged transgressions by Hofman, a full professor and former dean of Leiden’s archaeology faculty, and Hoogland, formerly a senior lecturer there.

From Science Magazine • May 19, 2024

Seaborg had accepted an appointment at Berkeley as a full professor, with the authority to hire four assistant and associate professors and twelve salaried graduate fellows.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Look it up. Learn it forever.

Remember "full professor" for good with VocabTrainer. Expand your vocabulary effortlessly with personalized learning tools that adapt to your goals.

Take me to Vocabulary.com