chan|cel|lor

chan|cel|lor «CHAN suh luhr, -sluhr; CHAHN-», noun.

1. the prime minister or other very high official in Austria and in Germany, and many other European countries.

2. U.S. the chief judge of a court of chancery or equity in certain states.

3. any one of various high British government officials, especially: a) the Chancellor of the Exchequer. b) the Lord Chancellor.

4. a) the head or president of some American universities. b) British. the titular head of a British university: »

Chancellors are elected for life.

5. the chief or official secretary of a king, nobleman, or embassy.

6. a) an Anglican lay official who handles legal matters for a diocese. b) a Roman Catholic priest in charge of a diocesan chancery.

╂[< Anglo-French chanceler, Old French chancelier < Latin cancellārius court secretary; (originally) officer stationed at a tribunal < cancellī bars (because of the grating behind which he worked)]