Professor Means One Who Declares Publicly
A prof is a professor. The full word describes someone who declares a belief openly.
Prof is an informal shortening of *professor*, a senior university teacher. The Latin *profiteri* means to declare publicly, from *pro*, forth, and *fateri*, to confess — a professor was originally one who publicly professed a faith or an art, and the academic rank came from that public declaration of expertise. The same root gives *profess*, *profession* and *professional*, all built on the idea of declaring openly what you are and what you do.
- A professor. *Ask the prof.*
- To declare. *To profess.*
- A profession. *The legal profession.*
- Professional. *A professional.*
- Latin — *profiteri*, to declare. *The root.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | prof | A prof. |
| Full form | professor | A professor. |
| Verb | profess | To profess. |
| Noun | profession | A profession. |
| Latin | profiteri | To declare. |
- The prof set an essay.Informal.
- Profiteri means to declare.Etymology.
- He professed no interest.Verb.
The fateri family
- Profess — to declare forth
- Confess — to declare together, to admit
- Confession — the admission itself
- Professor — one who declares publicly
- Profession — a calling one declares
Shortened from *professor*, from Latin *profiteri*, to declare publicly.
What does professor literally mean?
One who declares publicly, from a Latin verb meaning to profess a faith or an art openly.
Is confess related?
Yes. Both are built on Latin fateri, to acknowledge, with different prefixes.