[ 'prɒvəst ]
■ noun
1》 Brit. the position of head in certain university colleges and public schools.
↘ N. Amer. a senior administrative officer in certain universities.
2》 Scottish term for mayor .
3》 the head of a chapter in a cathedral.
↘the Protestant minister of the principal church of a town or district, especially in Germany.
↘ historical the head of a Christian community.
4》 prɒ'vəʊ short for ~ marshal .
5》 historical the chief magistrate of a European town.
Derivatives
~ship noun
Origin
OE profost 'head of a chapter, prior', reinforced in ME by Anglo-Norman Fr. ~ , from med. L. propositus , synonym of L. praepositus (see praepostor ).