provost
[proh-vohst, prov-uh st or, esp. in military usage, proh-voh]
- a person appointed to superintend or preside.
- an administrative officer in any of various colleges and universities who holds high rank and is concerned with the curriculum, faculty appointments, etc.
- Ecclesiastical. the chief dignitary of a cathedral or collegiate church.
- the steward or bailiff of a medieval manor or an officer of a medieval administrative district.
- the mayor of a municipality in Scotland.
- Obsolete. a prison warden.
Show More
Origin of provost
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Related Words
head, official, supervisor, executive, director, jailer, chief, officer, magistrate, keeperExamples from the Web for provost
Contemporary Examples
Previously, she was the president of the University of Pennsylvania and provost of Yale University.
2012 Summit: Who's On StageMarch 6, 2012
As Stanford provost, Rice dismissed, on budgetary grounds, a popular Latina administrator.
The UCL president and provost, Professor Malcolm Grant is “deeply saddened by these events.”
And then another woman insisted I was the provost of a small university in Southern Florida.
Historical Examples
It was Provost, my first professor, who had come to encourage me.
My Double LifeSarah Bernhardt
Provost was tall, his silvery hair was blown about, and he had a droll face.
My Double LifeSarah Bernhardt
Provost heard my "cue" on the stage, and pushed me gently forward.
My Double LifeSarah Bernhardt
"Well, you needn't pay any heed to the Provost, need you," Mr. Quinn retorted.
Changing WindsSt. John G. Ervine
The provost's men are beating the country for the blackguard.
The SnareRafael Sabatini
provost
- an appointed person who superintends or presides
- the head of certain university colleges or schools
- (in Scotland) the chairman and civic head of certain district councils or (formerly) of a burgh councilCompare convener (def. 2)
- Church of England the senior dignitary of one of the more recent cathedral foundations
- RC Church
- the head of a cathedral chapter in England and some other countries
- (formerly) the member of a monastic community second in authority under the abbot
- (in medieval times) an overseer, steward, or bailiff in a manor
- obsolete a prison warder
- (prəˈvəʊ) British and Canadian military a military policeman
Show More
Word Origin
Old English profost, from Medieval Latin prōpositus placed at the head (of), from Latin praepōnere to place first, from prae- before + pōnere to put
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 provost
n.
Old English profost, reinforced by Old French cognate provost, both from Late Latin propositus (reinforced by Old French cognate provost), from Latin propositus/praepositus "a chief, prefect" (source of Old Provençal probost, Old High German probost, German Propst), literally "placed before, in charge of," from past participle of praeponere "put before" (see preposition). Provost marshal first recorded 1510s.
Show More
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper