provost

[proh-vohst, prov-uh st or, esp. in military usage, proh-voh] /ˈproʊ voʊst, ˈprɒv əst or, esp. in military usage, ˈproʊ voʊ/
noun
1.
a person appointed to superintend or preside.
2.
an administrative officer in any of various colleges and universities who holds high rank and is concerned with the curriculum, faculty appointments, etc.
3.
Ecclesiastical. the chief dignitary of a cathedral or collegiate church.
4.
the steward or bailiff of a medieval manor or an officer of a medieval administrative district.
5.
the mayor of a municipality in Scotland.
6.
Obsolete. a prison warden.
Origin
before 900; Middle English; Old English profost < Medieval Latin prōpositus abbot, prior, provost, literally, (one) placed before, Latin: past participle of prōpōnere. See pro-1, posit
Related forms
provostship, noun
Examples from the web for provost
  • My provost asked me to evaluate an overseas colleague.
  • He and the university provost have been embroiled in a particularly acrimonious dispute.
  • The dean reports to the provost and provides intellectual leadership and academic management for the college.
  • He did not earn a doctorate, did not teach or publish research and was never a department chairman or dean or provost.
  • One professor who has also been a provost urges the two sides of the campus to work together.
  • The medical campus has its own provost, its own promotion guidelines, and its own academic calendar.
  • Clear and frequent messaging from the president and provost are important.
  • The provost, or chief magistrate, was elected from among the council every three years.
British Dictionary definitions for provost

provost

/ˈprɒvəst/
noun
1.
an appointed person who superintends or presides
2.
the head of certain university colleges or schools
3.
(in Scotland) the chairman and civic head of certain district councils or (formerly) of a burgh council Compare convener (sense 2)
4.
(Church of England) the senior dignitary of one of the more recent cathedral foundations
5.
(RC Church)
  1. the head of a cathedral chapter in England and some other countries
  2. (formerly) the member of a monastic community second in authority under the abbot
6.
(in medieval times) an overseer, steward, or bailiff in a manor
7.
(obsolete) a prison warder
8.
(Brit & Canadian, military) (prəˈvəʊ). a military policeman
Word Origin
Old English profost, from Medieval Latin prōpositus placed at the head (of), from Latin praepōnere to place first, from prae- before + pōnere to put
Word Origin and History for provost
n.

Old English profost, reinforced by Old French cognate provost, both from Late Latin propositus (reinforced by Old French cognate provost), from Latin propositus/praepositus "a chief, prefect" (source of Old Provençal probost, Old High German probost, German Propst), literally "placed before, in charge of," from past participle of praeponere "put before" (see preposition). Provost marshal first recorded 1510s.

Encyclopedia Article for provost

in French law, an inferior royal judge under the ancien regime, who, during the later Middle Ages, often served as an administrator of the domain. The position appears to date from the 11th century, when the Capetian dynasty of kings sought a means to render justice within their realm and to subject their vassals to royal control

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