— provostship , n.
/proh"vohst, prov"euhst/ or, esp. in military usage, /proh"voh/ , n.
1. a person appointed to superintend or preside.
2. an administrative officer in any of various colleges and universities who holds high rank and is concerned with the curriculum, faculty appointments, etc.
3. Eccles. the chief dignitary of a cathedral or collegiate church.
4. the steward or bailiff of a medieval manor or an officer of a medieval administrative district.
5. the mayor of a municipality in Scotland.
6. Obs. a prison warden.
[ bef. 900; ME; OE profost propositus abbot, prior, provost, lit., (one) placed before, L: ptp. of proponere. See PRO- 1 , POSIT ]