professor

Where does the word "professor" come from? It comes from Latin profiteri, and was adopted directly into English (1300s).

Professor’s story begins in Latin: profiteri meant “to declare publicly.” To declare publicly, from pro- (forth) and fateri (to acknowledge). It reached English by 1300s as professor. Settled as the English word for a teacher of the highest academic rank. Today, professor means a university teacher holding the highest academic rank in a field.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient profiteri "to declare publicly", to declare publicly, from pro- (forth) and fateri (to acknowledge).
2. Stage 2 · English · 1300s professor "a university teacher of the highest academic rank", settled as the English word for a teacher of the highest academic rank.