Rectors

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Those who are appointed to oversee the administration and policies of educational establishments; individuals holding leadership roles within universities and colleges that guide their operation; authorities within ecclesiastical organizations who manage and direct administrative functions
2. Individuals who head and govern universities or colleges ; clerics who oversee and manage church parishes
3. Persons appointed to supervise higher education institutions and ensure their proper functioning ; priests responsible for the spiritual care and administration of a parish

Etymology: "Rectors" is the plural of "rector," and the singular form carries the core idea: a rector is literally one who rules or directs. The Latin "rēctor" comes from "regere," meaning "to rule, guide, or govern," which also gave English "regent," "regiment," and "region." The same root that governs kings and armies stands behind the people who steer a university or college. The word reached English through Middle English "rectour" and "rector," which were taken from Old French "rector" and "rectour," themselves drawn directly from Latin. Its earliest English senses were largely church-related, and the ecclesiastical meaning remains alive: in the Church of England, a rector is a clergyman who holds a parish and receives its tithes. The educational sense developed later, so that a rector now also heads certain universities and colleges, particularly in continental Europe and Scotland, where the title marks the chief administrative officer.

Synonyms: leaders, administrators, principals