I. ˈsen(t)sə(r) noun
( -s )
Etymology: Latin, from censēre to assess, tax; akin to Sanskrit śaṁsati he recites, praises
1. : one of two magistrates of early Rome who acted as census takers, assessors, and inspectors of morals and conduct
2. : a supervisor or inspector especially of conduct and morals:
a. : an official empowered to examine written or printed matter (as manuscripts of books or plays) in order to forbid publication, circulation, or representation if it contains anything objectionable
b. : one having authority to guide and supervise students in English colleges and universities
c. : one of a council, since abolished, in some states of the United States (as Vermont and Pennsylvania) responsible for ensuring constitutional government and for inquiring into the conduct of state officials
d. : an officer or official charged with scrutinizing communications to intercept, suppress, or delete material harmful to his country's or organization's interests
e. : one who lacking official sanction but acting ostensibly in society's interests scrutinizes communications, compositions, and entertainments to discover anything immoral, profane, seditious, heretical, or otherwise offensive
3. archaic : critic ; especially : a faultfinding or severe critic
moderating both eulogists and censors
4.
[German zensur censorship, from Latin censura — more at censure ]
: the agency which represses or veils unacceptable notions before they reach the level of consciousness
II. transitive verb
( censored ; censored ; censoring -n(t)s(ə)riŋ ; censors )
: to subject to a censor's examination ; often : to alter, delete, or ban completely after examination
censor out risqué passages
slanted news officially censored