Definition of PROVOST

provost

Meanings

Plural: provosts

Noun

  • a high-ranking university administrator
  • 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.
  • One placed in charge: a head, a chief
  • The head of various colleges and universities.
  • One placed in charge: a head, a chief
  • A ruler.
  • 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.
  • A senior deputy, a superintendent
  • A prior: an abbot's second-in-command.
  • A senior deputy, a superintendent
  • A senior deputy administrator; a vice-president of academic affairs.
  • A senior deputy, a superintendent
  • A steward or seneschal: a medieval agent given management of a feudal estate or charged with collecting fees.
  • A senior deputy, a superintendent
  • A title of the archangel Michael.
  • A senior deputy, a superintendent
  • Any manager or overseer in a medieval or early modern context.
  • A senior deputy, a superintendent
  • A viceroy.
  • A senior deputy, a superintendent
  • A governor.
  • A senior deputy, a superintendent
  • A reeve.
  • A senior deputy, a superintendent
  • The head of various Roman offices, such as prefect and praetor.
  • A senior deputy, a superintendent
  • A constable: a medieval or early modern official charged with arresting, holding, and punishing criminals.
  • A senior deputy, a superintendent
  • An officer of the military police, particularly provost marshal or provost sergeant.
  • A senior deputy, a superintendent
  • An assistant fencing master.
  • A provost cell: a military cell or prison.

Verb

  • To be delivered to a provost marshal for punishment.

Origin / 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.

Synonyms

dean, governor, mayor, police officer, prefect and praetor, prepositus, president, reeve, ruler, steward, viceroy

Scrabble Score: 12

provost is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL word
provost is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
provost is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 14

provost is a valid Words With Friends word