n.1 Brit. the head of some colleges esp. at Oxford or Cambridge.
2 Eccl. a the head of a chapter in a cathedral. b hist. the head of a religious community.
3 Sc. the head of a municipal corporation or burgh.
4 the Protestant minister of the principal church of a town etc. in Germany etc.
5 US a high administrative officer in a university.
6 provost marshal.
Phrases and idioms:
provost guard US a body of soldiers under a provost marshal. provost marshal
1. the head of military police in camp or on active service.
2 the master-at-arms of a ship in which a court-martial is to be held.
Derivatives:
provostship n.
Etymology: ME f. OE profost & AF provost, prevost f. med.L propositus for praepositus: see PRAEPOSTOR