What does professoriate mean?
The professoriate means the body of professors in a university, college, or comparable institution, especially when they are considered as a collective group rather than as individuals. It can also denote the office, rank, or status of a professor. The word is especially associated with appointments, senior academic roles, institutional governance, and the relationship between individual teachers and the wider academic community. Its singular form can therefore refer to a group made up of many people. In formal writing, expressions such as “member of the professoriate” and “the university professoriate” are common. North American English often uses faculty as a close equivalent, although faculty in British usage can refer more broadly to academic teaching staff. The professoriate is notable as a precise collective noun that distinguishes the institutional community of professors from any one professor within it.
nounThe body of professors in a university, college, or similar institution, especially when regarded collectively. By extension, it can refer to the office, rank, or status of a professor.
- The professors of a university, college, or similar institution considered collectively.
- The office, rank, or status of being a professor.
"The university appointed three distinguished scholars to its professoriate."
"Members of the professoriate have approved the university's new research policy."
"She was invited to join the professoriate at one of the country's oldest universities."
Usually used when distinguishing the academic bodies of different institutions.
"The two universities have markedly different professoriates."
One professor is an individual; the professoriate is an entire academic community hiding in plain sight.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does professoriate come from?
The word was formed in English from professor with the suffix -iate, which was used to create nouns denoting bodies, offices, or statuses. Its ultimate roots lie in Latin professor, a teacher or public official, derived from pro- and the past participle fessus, “confessed.” The same Latin foundation produced cognates and derivatives including profession, profess, and professional.
How professoriate is actually used
This is a formal academic and institutional term. In North American English, faculty is often a close synonym, while in British English faculty may refer more broadly to academic teaching staff.
Easily confused with professoriate
The professoriate is a collective noun for professors as a body, whereas professorial is an adjective meaning relating to professors or their work.