# provost

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈpɹɒvəst/ · frequency rank #23,956

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

## Easily confused with
- **Provo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/provo-vs-provost)
- **proves** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/proves-vs-provost)
- **Proust** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/proust-vs-provost)
- **protest** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/protest-vs-provost)
- **propose** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/propose-vs-provost)
- **provoke** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/provoke-vs-provost)
- **proviso** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/proviso-vs-provost)

## Common misspellings (11)
`porvost`, `pprovost`, `proovst`, `provosst`, `provostt`, `provots`, `provsot`, `provvost`, `prrovost`, `prvoost`, `rpovost`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/provost