provost en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (US) audio
- /ˈpɹɒvɒst/ (UK)
- /pɹəʊˈvəʊ/ (UK)
- /ˈpɹɒvəst/ (UK)
- /ˈpɹɑvəst/ (US)
- /ˈpɹoʊvoʊst/ (US)
Etymology
From Middle English, from late Old English prōfost, prāfost, from Late Latin prōpositus, variant of Latin praepositus (“[one] placed in command”). In some senses, via Anglo-Norman provolt; via Anglo-Norman and Old French provost (modern French prévôt). As a Central European ecclesiastical office, via German Propst, Danish provst, etc.
Meanings
- (historical) One placed in charge: a head, a chief ▸ A dean: the head of a cathedral chapter.
- One placed in charge: a head, a chief ▸ The head of various other ecclesiastical bodies, even (rare, obsolete) muezzins.
- One placed in charge: a head, a chief ▸ The minister of the chief Protestant church of a town or region in Germany, the Low Countries, and Scandinavia.
- (UK) One placed in charge: a head, a chief ▸ The head of various colleges and universities.
- (obsolete) One placed in charge: a head, a chief ▸ A ruler.
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One placed in charge: a head, a chief ▸ A mayor: the chief magistrate of a town, particularly (Scotland) the head of a burgh or (historical) the former chiefs of various towns in France, Flanders, or (by extension) other Continental European countries.
The repairs were completed in the summer of last year, more than ten months after the line had been closed, and the branch was re-opened on June 29, when Mr. T. F. Cameron, Chief Regional Officer, Scottish Region, received Provost J. S. Collin, of Eyemouth, at the station. The 12.42. p.m. train to Burnmouth was signalled out of the station by the Provost, after he had been introduced to the crew.
1950 January, “Re-Opening of the Eyemouth Branch”, in Railway Magazine, page 52:
- (historical) A senior deputy, a superintendent ▸ A prior: an abbot's second-in-command.
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(US) A senior deputy, a superintendent ▸ A senior deputy administrator; a vice-president of academic affairs.
The provost of the University of Massachusetts has reversed a decision by faculty personnel committees not to renew the contracts of two professors engaged in sex research.
1982 August 21, Keith Beasley, “U/Mass Professors To Keep Positions Despite Controversy”, in Gay Community News, volume 10, number 6, page 3:The princess, already a serious and diligent child, was given lessons on constitutional matters by Sir Henry Marten, the provost of Eton, and became aware even then that she should not show emotion and must maintain a certain reserve.
2022 September 8, Stephen Bates, “Queen Elizabeth II obituary”, in The Guardian:
- (historical) A senior deputy, a superintendent ▸ A steward or seneschal: a medieval agent given management of a feudal estate or charged with collecting fees.
- (as ~ of Paradise or ~ of Heaven, obsolete, sometimes) A senior deputy, a superintendent ▸ A title of the archangel Michael.
- (historical) A senior deputy, a superintendent ▸ Any manager or overseer in a medieval or early modern context.
- (obsolete) A senior deputy, a superintendent ▸ A viceroy.
- (obsolete) A senior deputy, a superintendent ▸ A governor.
- (obsolete) A senior deputy, a superintendent ▸ A reeve.
- (obsolete) A senior deputy, a superintendent ▸ The head of various Roman offices, such as prefect and praetor.
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(historical) A senior deputy, a superintendent ▸ A constable: a medieval or early modern official charged with arresting, holding, and punishing criminals.
Here comes Signor Claudio, led by the provost to prison;
c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Measure for Measure”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii], line 113:
- A senior deputy, a superintendent ▸ An officer of the military police, particularly provost marshal or provost sergeant.
- (historical) A senior deputy, a superintendent ▸ An assistant fencing master.
- (UK, obsolete, slang) A provost cell: a military cell or prison.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| provosts | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
sit provost-place · provost marshal · provost sergeant · Stour Provost · provostal · provostess · provost cell · provostship · provostorial · Provost Marshall · provost seal · provostial · provostry · provost-place · Lord Provost
Synonyms
steward (deputy overseeing medieval estates or fees) · governor (deputy overseeing a province) · mayor (head of a town) · prefect and praetor (Roman officials) · prepositus (head of various specific bodies) · reeve (reeve) · dean (head of cathedral chapter) · police officer (deputy overseeing medieval law enforcement; military police) · viceroy (deputy to a king or emperor) · president (head of a university or college) · dean (head of a university or college) · ruler (head of a realm or state)
Translations (52)
ja 学寮長 (senior academic administrator) · it aiutante (military prison keeper) · it preposto (senior academic administrator) · ka ლორდ-მერი (equivalent of mayor in some Scottish cities) · es preboste (senior academic administrator) · fi provosti (senior academic administrator) · pt pró-reitor (senior academic administrator) · it prevosto (senior academic administrator) · ka პროვოსტი (equivalent of mayor in some Scottish cities) · pt preboste (highest position in a monastery below an abbot) · pt preboste (military prison keeper) · hu prépost (highest position in a monastery below an abbot) · it prevosto (highest position in a monastery below an abbot) · es alcalde (equivalent of mayor in some Scottish cities) · fi pormestari (equivalent of mayor in some Scottish cities) · fr prévôt (military prison keeper) · el κοσμήτορας (senior academic administrator) · ja 市長 (equivalent of mayor in some Scottish cities) · ja 学長 (senior academic administrator) · it proposto (military prison keeper) · fi provosti (highest position in a monastery below an abbot) · de Propst (highest position in a monastery below an abbot) · ru пробст (highest position in a monastery below an abbot) · ka პრორექტორი (senior academic administrator) · de Vorsteher (senior academic administrator) · ka რექტორი (senior academic administrator) · hu rektor (senior academic administrator) · fr prévôte (highest position in a monastery below an abbot) · it preposto (highest position in a monastery below an abbot) · bg надзирател (military prison keeper) · bg ре́ктор (senior academic administrator) · ja 教区長 (highest position in a monastery below an abbot) · pl prepozyt (highest position in a monastery below an abbot) · sh prepošt (highest position in a monastery below an abbot) · it proposto (senior academic administrator) · pl prowost (equivalent of mayor in some Scottish cities) · la praepositus (highest position in a monastery below an abbot) · ca prebost (highest position in a monastery below an abbot) · nl proost (highest position in a monastery below an abbot) · es rector (senior academic administrator) · ka მერი (equivalent of mayor in some Scottish cities) · ja 教務部長 (senior academic administrator) · es preboste (highest position in a monastery below an abbot) · da provst (highest position in a monastery below an abbot) · hu polgármester (equivalent of mayor in some Scottish cities) · ja 司祭 (highest position in a monastery below an abbot) · hu perjel (highest position in a monastery below an abbot) · ru дека́н (senior academic administrator) · la praepositus (senior academic administrator) · ru ре́ктор (senior academic administrator) · fr prévôt (highest position in a monastery below an abbot) · es preboste (military prison keeper)