- one of two magistrates in ancient Rome appointed to take the census and, later, to supervise public morals
- an official with the power to examine publications, films, television programs, etc. and to remove or prohibit anything considered obscene, libelous, politically objectionable, etc.
- an official in time of war who reads publications, mail, etc. to remove information that might be useful to the enemy
- in earlier psychoanalytic theory, and still popularly, a part of the unconscious that serves as the agent of censorship
Origin of censor
Classical Latin from censere, to tax, value, judge from Indo-European base an unverified form ?ens, speak solemnly, announce from source Sanskrit ?á?sa, praise, prayer of praise to subject (a book, film, writer, etc.) to the close examination of a censor
