I. ˈsen(t)-sər noun
Etymology: Latin, Roman magistrate, from censēre to give as one's opinion, assess; perhaps akin to Sanskrit śaṁsati he praises
Date: 1526
1. : a person who supervises conduct and morals: as
a. : an official who examines materials (as publications or films) for objectionable matter
b. : an official (as in time of war) who reads communications (as letters) and deletes material considered sensitive or harmful
2. : one of two magistrates of early Rome acting as census takers, assessors, and inspectors of morals and conduct
3. : a hypothetical psychic agency that represses unacceptable notions before they reach consciousness
• cen·so·ri·al sen-ˈsȯr-ē-əl adjective
II. transitive verb
( cen·sored ; cen·sor·ing ˈsen(t)-sə-riŋ, ˈsen(t)s-riŋ)
Date: 1882
: to examine in order to suppress or delete anything considered objectionable
censor the news
also : to suppress or delete as objectionable
censor out indecent passages