professorate
UK[prəˈfɛsərət]US[prəˈfɛsərət]
n
the office, position, or term of a professor
n
a body of professors; the professors of a university or college collectively
Morpheme Breakdown
profess
or
ate
profess
declare openly
or
agent noun suffix
ate
noun suffix denoting a collective or function
Etymology
the word 'professorate' is built upon the core latin verb profitēri, meaning 'to declare openly or publicly'. this verb itself is a compound of pro- ('forth') and fatēri ('to confess, acknowledge'), suggesting a public avowal of knowledge or skill. the agent suffix -or was added to form 'professor', denoting one who publicly declares expertise, specifically in an academic field. finally, the abstract noun suffix -ate was appended, shifting the meaning from the individual to the collective body of such individuals or the office they hold, thus forming the modern term for the academic faculty as an institution.
Analysis
Structure: profess (declare openly) + or (agent noun suffix) + ate (noun suffix denoting a collective or function)
- profess: from latin professus, past participle of profitēri meaning 'to declare publicly, acknowledge'.
- or: a latin-derived agent noun suffix indicating 'a person who does something'.
- ate: a latin-derived noun suffix (-ātus) used to form nouns denoting function, office, or a collective body.
Examples
she was appointed to the professorate at a remarkably young age.
the decision required the approval of the entire professorate.
his research contributions significantly enriched the intellectual life of the professorate.