provost Hear it!

provost Definition

pro·vost (prōvōst′, prävəst; esp. in military use prōvō′)

noun

  1. a superintendent; official in charge
  2. the chief magistrate of a Scottish burgh
  3. Obsolete a jailer
  4. Eccles. the head of a cathedral chapter or principal church
  5. Educ.
    1. the head of any of certain colleges in the British Isles
    2. ☆ in certain American universities, an administrative official dealing chiefly with faculty, curriculum, etc.

Etymology: ME < OE profost & OFr provost, both < ML propositus, for L praepositus, chief, prefect, orig. pp. of praeponere, to set before, place first < prae-, before + ponere, to place: see pre- & position

provost Related Forms

pro·vost·ship′ noun

provost Synonyms

provost

n.

provost Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • become: Twice he made bids to become lord provost of Glasgow, but without success.
  • elect: The idea of a small ' cabinet ' or elected provost taking decisions and excluding most councilors is not appropriate.
  • appoint: He was appointed provost to the Diocese of Geneva, a significant post.
  • have: Dumfries had a Catholic provost, John Maxwell, at the insistence of James, the first since the Reformation.

Converse of subject

govern: It is governed by a provost, 4 bailies, a treasurer, and 10 councilors.

Adjective modifier

  • former: She is the former provost of Yale, part of the US Ivy League market-based system.
  • then: MacLellan's Castle A castellated town house, complete except for its roof, built by the then provost of Kirkcudbright.

Modifies a noun

  • marshal: Promoted to provost marshal at San Carlos he successfully kept the peace.
  • sergeant: It was some two hours later when the provost sergeant Sid Pritchard shook him awake and handing him a mug of tea.
  • office: A provost office was set up inside the circle.

Noun used with modifier

  • lord: The leader was termed ' provost ' ( lord provost in the largest cities ) equivalent to the position mayor.
  • vise: A vise provost, who is also a fellow.
  • university: Provosts on Portals: A web seminar developed for American Association of State Colleges and Universities provosts.
  • college: Every student is also a member of one of the colleges and the college provosts and other staff will provide support where appropriate.

Possessives

vote: Labor now has 11 councilors - with the provost's casting vote - and Tories 10.

Browse dictionary entries near provost

  1. provolone
  2. provoking
  3. provoked
  4. provoke
  5. provocative
  6. provocation
  7. provocateur
  8. Provo
  9. provitamin
  10. provisory
  1. provost court
  2. provost guard
  3. prow
  4. prowess
  5. prowl
  6. prowl car
  7. prox.
  8. proxemics
  9. Proxima Centauri
  10. proximal