chancellor English · revision 7536

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=before 1066|origins=la-lat cancellarius}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈtʃɑːnsələ/, /ˈtʃɑːnslə/ ''(UK)''; /ˈt͡ʃænsələ/, /-lɚ/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It was first late Old English canceler, [[bor|xno|canceler]], Old North French cancheler, and later chaunceler, from the Anglo-French variant chanceler, Old French [[m|fro|chancelier]];^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986)^(Etymonline) the ending -or replaced -er in the 16th century.^(Hoad 1986) All go back to Late Latin [[m|la-lat|cancellarius|t=keeper of the barrier, secretary, usher of a law court]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) from cancelli, a lattice or grating (see [[chancel]]),^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) because the officer worked at the lattice of a basilica or law court.^(Etymonline)^(NODE 1998)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A high official: in documents of the reign of Edward the Confessor (before 1066), in the ''Anglo-Saxon Chronicle'' (1093), and as canceler in the ''Peterborough Chronicle'' (1123).^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In the Roman Empire the cancellarius was a court usher who stood at the railing round the judgment seat to keep the crowd out and admit those entitled to enter.^(Etymonline) The post grew in the Western kingdoms into an intermediary between petitioners and judges, a notary or scribe,^(Etymonline) and in England the chancellor came to prepare all important crown documents, keep the great seal and be the highest judicial officer of the crown.^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) The Chancellor of the Exchequer, the chief finance minister, and the head of a university date from the 14th century.^(Hoad 1986) In Scots law the foreman of a jury was the chancellor from the 18th century.^(Hoad 1986)^(Wright 1898) The chief minister of state in some European countries is a later sense.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * before 1066 – Chancellor of England.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1123 – canceler.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * before 1300 – chaunceler.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 14th century – of the Exchequer; of a university.^(Hoad 1986)

+ * 16th century – spelling with -or.^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The head of [[government]] in some European countries.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(Britain)'' The [[Chancellor of the Exchequer]], the minister in charge of finance.^(Hoad 1986)

+ # The head of a university, or in the US the president of some universities.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A secretary to a monarch or noble.^(AHD)

+ # The chief secretary of an [[embassy]].^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[chancellorship]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[chancel]]

+ * [[chancellery]]

+ * [[chancellory]]

+ * [[chancery]]

+ * [[cancel]]

+ * [[lattice]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}