chancellor

noun

chan·​cel·​lor ˈchan(t)-s(ə-)lər 

1

a

: the secretary of a nobleman, prince, or king

b

: the lord chancellor of Great Britain

c

British : the chief secretary of an embassy

d

: a Roman Catholic priest heading the office in which diocesan business is transacted and recorded

2

a

: the titular head of a British university

b(1)

: a university president

(2)

: the chief executive officer in some state systems of higher education

3

a

: a lay legal officer or adviser of an Anglican diocese

b

: a judge in a court of chancery or equity in various states of the U.S.

4

: the chief minister of state in some European countries

chancellorship

ˈchan(t)-s(ə-)lər-ˌship 

noun

Examples of chancellor in a Sentence

the new chancellor of the university

Recent Examples on the Web

An open letter to the new chancellor from the Berkeley Faculty Assn. signaled the challenges ahead. —Teresa Watanabe, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2024

John Sharp, chancellor of the Texas A&M University System, highlighted the law school’s progress. —Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Apr. 2024

Patrick Winslow, local vicar general and chancellor, told The Charlotte Observer. —Chase Jordan, Charlotte Observer, 5 Apr. 2024

In New York, several recent chancellors have encouraged schools to expand the type of teaching — on issues like identity and discrimination — that some other cities have restricted. —Troy Closson, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2024

The former home of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee chancellor is for sale on Milwaukee's east side. —Kelly Meyerhofer, Journal Sentinel, 25 Mar. 2024

Hunt was seen across British media outlets on his way to the spring budget speech carrying the famous red briefcase, which traditionally contains the chancellor’s budget notes. —Georg Szalai, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Mar. 2024

The error was so persistent that the California Student Aid Commission partnered with CSU, the University of California and the California Community Colleges chancellor’s office to offer an alternative financial aid application for students from mixed-status households. —Molly Gibbs, The Mercury News, 11 Apr. 2024

In February, the UW-Madison graduate student union delivered a petition calling for paid parental leave benefits to the chancellor's office. —Kelly Meyerhofer, Journal Sentinel, 9 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English chanceler, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin cancellarius doorkeeper, secretary, from cancellus

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Phrases Containing chancellor

• chancellor of the exchequer
• lord chancellor
• vice chancellor

Kids Definition

chancellor

noun

chan·​cel·​lor ˈchan(t)-s(ə-)lər 

1

: the chief minister of state in some European countries

2

: the head of a university

Legal Definition

chancellor

noun

chan·​cel·​lor ˈchan-sə-lər 

1

: the head of a chancery: as

a

: the Lord Chancellor of Great Britain

b

: a judge in a court of equity in various states

2

a

: a university president

b

: the chief executive officer in some state systems of higher education

3

: the chief minister of state in some European countries (as Germany)

Etymology

Old French chancelier royal secretary, from Late Latin cancellarius doorkeeper, clerk, from Latin cancellus latticework barrier