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

Alice Weidel, AfD's co-leader and candidate for chancellor, has urged immediate parliamentary action to close Germany's borders and expel irregular migrants. —John Yoo and John Shu, Newsweek, 23 Jan. 2025

Queen Camilla serves as the chancellor to the university, a role to which she was appointed in 2013. —Julia Teti, WWD, 21 Jan. 2025

The inquiries led to the resignation of his police commissioner, first deputy mayor, deputy mayor for public safety, education chancellor, a senior adviser and the mayor’s chief adviser — who was herself indicted on state charges last month. —William K. Rashbaum, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2025

According to a biography on the University of Tennessee, Knoxville’s website, Parker serves as the school’s associate vice chancellor. —Tara Suter, The Hill, 23 Dec. 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