Professor German · revision 35970

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=16th century|origins=la for}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /pʁoˈfɛsoːɐ̯/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''Professor''' ''m'' (genitive Professors, plural Professoren, diminutive Professorchen n or Professorlein n, feminine Professorin)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|professor|t=public teacher]], borrowed in the 16th century, an agent noun of [[m|la|profiteor|t=to declare publicly, profess]], from [[m|la|prō-]] and [[m|la|fateor|t=to confess, acknowledge]], which belongs to [[m|la|for|t=to speak]].^(Kluge 2011|724)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020|652) In antiquity it was a title of grammarians and lecturers, and in the Middle Ages a usual title of teachers at universities.^(Kluge 2011|724) Pfeifer notes that the name first appears in the theological faculties, whose teachers were called [[m|la|sacrae theologiae professores]] from about 1400, and that the sense “profess” and Church Latin [[m|la|cōnfessor|t=confessor]] may have played a part.^(Pfeifer 1993) He reads the word as “one who professes a learned calling publicly”, or perhaps “one who announces that he will speak and teach in public”.^(Pfeifer 1993) The same word is [[nl|professor]], [[en|professor]], [[fr|professeur]] and [[sv|professor]].^(Kluge 2011|724)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ In the 16th century ''Professor'' gradually became the professional title of university teachers in all faculties, and partly of teachers at Latin schools, after the old titles of doctor and master had lost value by being granted to outsiders.^(Pfeifer 1993) Simon Roth's dictionary of 1571 explains it as a public teacher of a liberal art.^(Paul 2002)^(DWB|13, 2160) Thomas Platter complained that there were too many professors, ''dan iren sind oft schier mer den studenten'', “for there are often almost more of them than students”.^(DWB|13, 2160)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In 1543 the word is used in Cologne for a teacher at a Latin school, a sense kept in Austria for a teacher at a grammar school.^(Paul 2002)^(Duden GWDS 1999) Adelung (1777) distinguishes the ordinary and the extraordinary professor, and the abstract ''Professur'' “professorship” appears in the 17th century.^(Paul 2002)^(Pfeifer 1993) The feminine ''Professorin'' is recorded in 1728, in Gottsched, of a “women's academy”.^(Paul 2002) A popular pronunciation ''Professer'', rhymed with ''besser'', is found in Thümmel and Heine.^(DWB|13, 2160) Today it is also an honorary title given by the state to distinguished scholars and artists.^(Duden 7 2020|652)^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1400 – Teachers of theology are called ''sacrae theologiae professores''.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 1543 – ''Professor'' is used in Cologne for a teacher at a Latin school.^(Paul 2002)

+ * 16th century – The word becomes the title of university teachers in all faculties.^(Kluge 2011|724)^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 1571 – Simon Roth defines it in his dictionary.^(Paul 2002)

+ * 17th century – ''Professur'' is first recorded.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Paul 2002)

+ * 1728 – First record of ''Professorin''.^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(no plural)'' The highest [[m|en|academic]] [[m|en|title]], given to a university teacher, a distinguished scholar or an artist: ''Sie wurde im Frühjahr zur Professorin ernannt.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A holder of this title; a university teacher: ''Er lehrt als Professor für Geschichte in Kiel.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(dated; still Austria)'' A teacher at a [[Gymnasium]].^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary DE)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[Professorin]]

+ * [[Professur]]

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+ ==Related words==

+ * [[Profession]]

+ * [[en|professor]]

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+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Ein zerstreuter Professor'' is a colloquial, humorous name for a very absent-minded person.^(Duden GWDS 1999) The usual abbreviation is ''Prof.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Duden Fremdwörterbuch 2007)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}