rector

[ rek-ter ]

/ ˈrɛk tər /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR rector ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

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.

Nearby words

rectocele, rectococcygeal muscle, rectococcypexy, rectopexy, rectoplasty, rector, rectorate, rectorial, rectory, rectoscope, rectosigmoid

Origin of rector

1350–1400; Middle English rectour < Latin rēctor helmsman, ruler, leader, equivalent to reg(ere) to rule + -tor -tor

Related formsrec·to·ri·al

[rek-tawr-ee-uh l, -tohr-] /rɛkˈtɔr i əl, -ˈtoʊr-/, adjectivesub·rec·tor, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for rector

Rector was attending a Sunday night game between the Yankees and Red Sox when he dozed off.
Sleeping Yankees Fan Files Worst Lawsuit Ever|Ben Jacobs|July 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In fact, the suit tries to somehow find MLB liable for a still picture of Rector posted on a website called NotSportcenter.
Sleeping Yankees Fan Files Worst Lawsuit Ever|Ben Jacobs|July 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Dalil Boubakeur, the rector of the Grande Mosquée in Paris, has warned of radicalism amongst young Muslim males in the city.
Downplaying Western European Anti-Semitism|Liam Hoare|January 29, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Rector extrapolated to a national average: fine with running water, not so fine with such a small number of observations.
What Does it Mean to Be Poor?|Megan McArdle|September 17, 2012|DAILY BEAST

In 1810 he was called to be rector of the newly established university.
Edward Caldwell Moore|Edward Moore
Had there been light enough for Rosario to see the Rector's face, she would doubtless have obeyed, frightened.
Mayflower (Flor de mayo)|Vicente Blasco Ibez
The rector of Meresby, being appealed to, knew nothing of the matter.
The Book of Dreams and Ghosts|Andrew Lang
He reserved that bit of information for the rector of Trinity when he came in, an hour later.
The Americanization of Edward Bok|Edward William Bok
From this it appears that Wm. Proctor was the rector from 1601 to 1627, covering the period of the last of the Washingtons there.
Washington and the American Republic, Vol. 3.|Benson J. Lossing

British Dictionary definitions for rector

rector

/ (ˈrɛktə) /

noun

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

Derived Formsrectorate, nounrectorial (rɛkˈtɔːrɪəl), adjectiverectorship, noun

Word Origin for rector

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 Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for rector

rector

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.

rector

noun

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Origin of rector

Examples from the Web for rector

British Dictionary definitions for rector

rector

noun

Word Origin for rector

Word Origin and History for rector

rector