provost

American  

[proh-vohst, prov-uhst, proh-voh] / ˈproʊ voʊst, ˈprɒv əst, ˈproʊ voʊ /

noun

1. a person appointed to superintend or preside.

2. an administrative officer in any of various colleges and universities who holds high rank and is concerned with the curriculum, faculty appointments, etc.

3. Ecclesiastical. the chief dignitary of a cathedral or collegiate church.

4. the steward or bailiff of a medieval manor or an officer of a medieval administrative district.

5. the mayor of a municipality in Scotland.

6. Obsolete. a prison warden.

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provost British  

/ ˈprɒvəst /

noun

1. an appointed person who superintends or presides

2. the head of certain university colleges or schools

3. (in Scotland) the chairman and civic head of certain district councils or (formerly) of a burgh council Compare convener

4. Church of England the senior dignitary of one of the more recent cathedral foundations

5. RC Church

   1. the head of a cathedral chapter in England and some other countries

   2. (formerly) the member of a monastic community second in authority under the abbot

6. (in medieval times) an overseer, steward, or bailiff in a manor

7. obsolete a prison warder

8. military a military policeman

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Other Word Forms

• provostship noun

Etymology

Origin of provost

before 900; Middle English; Old English profost < Medieval Latin prōpositus abbot, prior, provost, literally, (one) placed before, Latin: past participle of prōpōnere. See pro- ¹, posit

Example Sentences

Michael Spence, UCL president and provost, said he recognised that the Covid pandemic had been "incredibly difficult for students" and the university's response was "responsible and robust".

From BBC • Feb. 13, 2026

Qatari interests in particular contributed to the salary of Elizabeth Rosemeyer, the university’s assistant vice provost for DEI and Title IX coordinator.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 28, 2026

Prof Ian Dunn, provost at Coventry University, said the proposed increases were a "good thing" for universities, but added that "under no circumstances will this solve the problem".

From BBC • Oct. 20, 2025

“There has been no statement from the provost office rebutting Harrison’s rhetoric.”

From Salon • Oct. 16, 2025

David Korn, vice provost for research at Harvard University, argues that giving patients control over their tissues is shortsighted.

From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot