What does professorship mean?
A professorship is the position, appointment, or office of a professor, usually within a university or another institution of higher education. The word commonly refers to an academic post that carries a title and may involve teaching, research, supervision, and service to the institution. It is also used more broadly for the rank or status of a person holding such a post: a university may advertise, fill, or establish a professorship in a particular subject. In British usage, “chair” is often used as a near-synonym, although a chair and a professorship may not always represent exactly the same arrangement. The term is more specific than “teaching position” and more institutional than simply “job,” reflecting the traditional importance of the professor as a senior academic authority.
nounThe position, office, or appointment of a professor, especially at a university or other institution of higher education. It may also refer to the rank or status associated with this position.
- The position or office of a professor.
- The rank, status, or appointment associated with being a professor.
"She was appointed to a professorship in medieval history."
"The university created a professorship in environmental studies."
"He accepted an endowed professorship and moved to the university last year."
Used when referring to more than one academic position or appointment.
"The university has created professorships in several fields."
A professorship is not simply the act of teaching: it is an academic office with a title, duties, and institutional standing.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does professorship come from?
The word is formed from “professor” and the suffix “-ship,” which indicates a position, office, or status. “Professor” comes through Old French from Latin “professor,” a teacher or public official who professed or declared something, ultimately from the Latin root “pro-fessus,” meaning “declared” or “avowed.” The modern academic sense developed as the word came to denote an established teacher and holder of an institutional post. Related English forms include “profess,” “profession,” “professional,” and “professorial.”
Related word forms
How professorship is actually used
The word is primarily used in academic and institutional contexts. It often denotes a specific appointment or chair, especially in the United Kingdom and in universities generally.