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noun Uncommon

provost

PRO-vuhst

Provost (noun) means a senior official who heads a university, college, or cathedral chapter. Example: “The provost announced new funding for student scholarships.”

noun
1
A senior official who heads a university, college, or cathedral chapter.
"The provost announced new funding for student scholarships."
2
A senior military police officer, as in "provost marshal."
"The provost marshal was called in to investigate the incident on base."
3
Historically, a mayor or chief magistrate of a town, especially in Scotland.
"The provost of the burgh welcomed the visiting dignitaries."

How to use provost

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA senior official in charge — most commonly heard today as a top administrator at a university.

Common pairings
university provost provost marshal the provost of the college

Word forms

provosted past tense, provosts plural, provosts singular

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The _____ announced new funding for student scholarships.

Etymology

From Old English profost, from Late Latin propositus/praepositus, "one placed in command" — via Anglo-Norman and Old French provost.

Origin: Late Latin

Related words

Frequently asked questions

What does “provost” mean?

The word “provost” means a senior official who heads a university, college, or cathedral chapter. In plain terms, a senior official in charge — most commonly heard today as a top administrator at a university.

How do you pronounce “provost”?

“Provost” is pronounced PRO-vuhst (/ˈpɹoʊvoʊst/ in IPA).

How do you use “provost” in a sentence?

Here is “provost” used in a sentence: “The provost announced new funding for student scholarships.”

What is another word for “provost”?

Words with a similar meaning to “provost” include ruler, prepositus, steward, viceroy, governor and police officer.

What part of speech is “provost”?

“Provost” is a noun.

Where does the word “provost” come from?

The word “provost” comes from Late Latin. From Old English profost, from Late Latin propositus/praepositus, "one placed in command" — via Anglo-Norman and Old French provost.

Is “provost” a common word?

“Provost” is an uncommon word in modern English.

How many meanings does “provost” have?

“Provost” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a senior official who heads a university, college, or cathedral chapter.

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Definitions: FreeDict original editorial