rector
[rek-ter]
- a member of the clergy in charge of a parish in the Protestant Episcopal Church.
- Roman Catholic Church. an ecclesiastic in charge of a college, religious house, or congregation.
- Anglican Church. a member of the clergy who has the charge of a parish with full possession of all its rights, tithes, etc.
- the head of certain universities, colleges, and schools.
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Origin of rector
1350–1400; Middle English rectour < Latin rēctor helmsman, ruler, leader, equivalent to reg(ere) to rule + -tor -tor
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for rector
Contemporary Examples
Rector was attending a Sunday night game between the Yankees and Red Sox when he dozed off.
In fact, the suit tries to somehow find MLB liable for a still picture of Rector posted on a website called NotSportcenter.
Dalil Boubakeur, the rector of the Grande Mosquée in Paris, has warned of radicalism amongst young Muslim males in the city.
Rector extrapolated to a national average: fine with running water, not so fine with such a small number of observations.
Historical Examples
The nave, then as now, was the charge of the parish; the chancel, of the rector.
Cameos from English History, from Rollo to Edward IICharlotte Mary Yonge
The rector is old; when the house is mine, you will not be long without the living.
Night and Morning, CompleteEdward Bulwer-Lytton
She spoke of the American church in Rome, and asked Hewson if he knew the rector.
Questionable ShapesWilliam Dean Howells
"It is coldish to-night, love," said the rector; and he put out the candle.
Alice, or The Mysteries, CompleteEdward Bulwer-Lytton
The Rector spoke with an obvious effort, got his hand off the page and closed the folio.
The Incomplete AmoristE. Nesbit
rector
- Church of England a clergyman in charge of a parish in which, as its incumbent, he would formerly have been entitled to the whole of the tithesCompare vicar
- RC Church a cleric in charge of a college, religious house, or congregation
- Episcopal Church Scottish Episcopal Church a clergyman in charge of a parish
- mainly British the head of certain schools or colleges
- (in Scotland) a high-ranking official in a university: now a public figure elected for three years by the students
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Word Origin
C14: from Latin: director, ruler, from regere to rule
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for rector
n.
late 14c. (early 13c. in Anglo-Latin), from Latin rector "ruler, governor, director, guide," from rect-, past participle stem of regere "to rule, guide" (see regal). Used originally of Roman governors and God, by 18c. generally restricted to clergymen and college heads. Related: Rectorship.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper