provost

Meanings

1. One placed in charge: a head, a chief
2. A dean: the head of a cathedral chapter.
3. The head of various other ecclesiastical bodies, even (rare, obsolete) muezzins.
4. The minister of the chief Protestant church of a town or region in Germany, the Low Countries, and Scandinavia.
5. The head of various colleges and universities.
6. A ruler.
7. A mayor: the chief magistrate of a town, particularly (Scotland) the head of a burgh or (historical) the former chiefs of various towns in France, Flanders, or (by extension) other Continental European countries.
8. A senior deputy, a superintendent
9. A prior: an abbot's second-in-command.
10. A senior deputy administrator; a vice-president of academic affairs.
11. A steward or seneschal: a medieval agent given management of a feudal estate or charged with collecting fees.
12. A title of the archangel Michael.

1. To be delivered to a provost marshal for punishment.

1. A surname originating as an occupation for a provost.

Etymology

From Middle English, from late Old English prōfost, prāfost, from Late Latin prōpositus, variant of Latin praepositus (“[one] placed in command”). In some senses, via Anglo-Norman provolt; via Anglo-Norman and Old French provost (modern French prévôt). As a Central European ecclesiastical office, via German Propst, Danish provst, etc.