Definition
The highest academic rank at a university, representing someone who has climbed the grueling ladder of assistant and associate positions to reach the promised land of tenure and intellectual authority. These scholarly veterans teach, conduct research, publish prolifically, and serve on enough committees to make corporate middle management look exciting. In casual American usage, it's also what students call any instructor, regardless of whether they've actually achieved the formal rank or are just adjuncts surviving on ramen.
Example Usage
After fifteen years of publishing, teaching, and politicking, she finally made full professor and could now focus on the research she actually cared about.
Related Terms
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See “professor” in Corporate Speak, Gen-Z Slang, Pirate Speak, and more.
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