provost

/ˈpɹɒvəst/

//ˈpɹɒvəst// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"provost" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“provost” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #23,956 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#23,956
frequency rank, English
7
letters
11
tracked misspellings
7
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - One placed in charge: a head, a chief

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

provost vs Provo
57% similar
provost vs proves
71% similar
provost vs Proust
57% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for provost
PropertyValue
Headwordprovost
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈpɹɒvəst/
Letters7
Frequency rank#23,956
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs7
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “provost” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). provost lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for provost is 7 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈpɹɒvəst/. Corpus data places it at rank #23,956 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 19 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for provost, with forms such as "porvost", "pprovost", and "proovst". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 7 confusable-pair relationships, "Provo", "proves", "Proust", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English, from late Old English prōfost, prāfost, from Late Latin prōpositus, variant of Latin praepositus (“[one] placed in command”). In some senses, via Anglo-Norman provolt; via Anglo-Norman and Old French provost (modern French prévôt). As a… The correct English form is provost, spelled P-R-O-V-O-S-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    One placed in charge: a head, a chief
  2. 2
    One placed in charge: a head, a chief
  3. 3
    One placed in charge: a head, a chief
  4. 4
    One placed in charge: a head, a chief
  5. 5
    One placed in charge: a head, a chief
  6. 6
    One placed in charge: a head, a chief
  7. 7
    A senior deputy, a superintendent
  8. 8
    A senior deputy, a superintendent
  9. 9
    A senior deputy, a superintendent
  10. 10
    A senior deputy, a superintendent
  11. 11
    A senior deputy, a superintendent
  12. 12
    A senior deputy, a superintendent
  13. 13
    A senior deputy, a superintendent
  14. 14
    A senior deputy, a superintendent
  15. 15
    A senior deputy, a superintendent
  16. 16
    A senior deputy, a superintendent
  17. 17
    A senior deputy, a superintendent
  18. 18
    A senior deputy, a superintendent
  19. 19
    A provost cell: a military cell or prison.

Etymology

From Middle English, from late Old English prōfost, prāfost, from Late Latin prōpositus, variant of Latin praepositus (“[one] placed in command”). In some senses, via Anglo-Norman provolt; via Anglo-Norman and Old French provost (modern French prévôt). As a Central European ecclesiastical office, via German Propst, Danish provst, etc.

Synonyms

deanpresidentdeanrulermayorprepositusstewardviceroygovernorreeveprefect and praetorpolice officer

This word in other languages

alcalde(Español)prévôt(Français)Vorsteher(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: porvost,pprovost,proovst,provosst,provostt,provots,provsot,provvost,prrovost,prvoost,rpovost

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of provost - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

porvost2pprovost1proovst2provosst1provostt1provots2provsot2provvost1
Edit distance from "provost"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "provost"?
"provost" is spelled P-R-O-V-O-S-T. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈpɹɒvəst/.
What does "provost" mean?
As a noun, "provost" means: One placed in charge: a head, a chief
What words are commonly confused with "provost"?
"provost" is commonly confused with "Provo", "proves", "Proust". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "provost"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "provost" is /ˈpɹɒvəst/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "provost"?
From Middle English, from late Old English prōfost, prāfost, from Late Latin prōpositus, variant of Latin praepositus (“[one] placed in command”). In some senses, via Anglo-Norman provolt; via Anglo-Norman and Old French provost (modern French pré... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “provost”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is P-R-O-V-O-S-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈpɹɒvəst/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “Provo” - see the side-by-side comparison. provost vs Provo
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list