rector
gb/ɹˈɛktɚ/ us/ɹˈɛktɚ/
C1
English
~ 6500
plébános, rektor, szemináriumi rektor
NOUN
C1
1
plébános
B2
Usage pattern:
rector of [a church/parish]
The rector announced that the parish would start a new food bank next month.
A plébános bejelentette, hogy a plébánia a jövő hónapban új élelmiszerbankot indít.
After the service, the rector greeted each member of the congregation at the church door.
Az istentisztelet után a plébános a templom ajtajában üdvözölte a gyülekezet minden tagját.
They invited the rector of St John's Church to bless the new community center.
The bishop appointed a new rector to lead the growing suburban parish.
As rector, she is responsible for both the spiritual life and the finances of the parish.
Learner examples
The rector leads the Sunday service at our church.
A plébános vezeti a vasárnapi istentiszteletet a templomunkban.
People in the town know the rector very well.
A városban az emberek nagyon jól ismerik a plébánost.
The rector of this parish lives in the house next to the church.
The bishop chose him to be the new rector.
The rector speaks to the families after the wedding.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use 'rector' for any religious leader, but in modern English it is usually limited to specific Christian traditions and formal contexts. In everyday conversation, 'priest' or 'pastor' is often more natural unless you are talking about a particular church where the title is officially 'Rector'. Some also confuse 'rector' with 'vector' or 'director' because of similar spelling.
Meaning
priest in charge of a parish
Collocations
parish rector
|Anglican rector
|Catholic rector
|rector of St Mary's
|appointed rector
|serve as rector
Synonyms
parish priest (General term for the main priest serving a parish; does not specify Anglican or other structures in the way 'rector' often does.)
|
pastor (Common in Protestant churches, especially in North America; more informal and broader, not tied to specific church law.)
|
vicar (In the Church of England, a similar role but with a different legal and financial status; in casual speech often used like 'rector'.)
Antonyms
layperson (A member of the church who is not ordained clergy, the opposite of a priest such as a rector.)
|
assistant priest (A clergy member working under the main leader of the parish, rather than being the person in charge.)
Themes
religion
|society
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A priest who is the main leader of a local church or parish in some Christian groups.
A priest who has official responsibility for leading and administering a parish or local church, especially in Anglican and some other Christian denominations.
NOUN
C1
2
rektor
B2
Usage pattern:
rector of [a university/institution]
The rector of the university announced a new scholarship program for international students.
Az egyetem rektora új ösztöndíjprogramot jelentett be a nemzetközi hallgatók számára.
She was elected rector after a close vote by the academic senate.
Az egyetemi szenátus szoros szavazása után rektorrá választották.
The rector met with government officials to discuss funding for higher education.
Students gathered outside the Rector's office to protest the tuition increase.
During the ceremony, the rector formally welcomed the first-year students to the university.
Learner examples
The rector leads the whole university.
A rektor vezeti az egész egyetemet.
Students wrote a letter to the rector about the exam rules.
A diákok levelet írtak a rektornak a vizsgaszabályokról.
He became rector of the university when he was only forty.
The rector spoke at the graduation ceremony.
The rector and the teachers planned a new course.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think 'rector' is used for university heads everywhere, but it is mainly used in Europe, Latin America, and some other systems. In American English, 'president' or sometimes 'chancellor' is more common. Also, 'rector' should not be confused with 'director', which is usually someone in charge of a department or smaller unit, not the whole university.
Meaning
head of a university or college
Collocations
university rector
|school rector
|elected rector
|student rector
|office of the Rector
|serve as rector
Synonyms
university president (Common term in North America; very similar role but used in different university systems.)
|
chancellor (In some countries this is the main university leader, in others a mainly ceremonial role; function overlaps with 'rector' depending on system.)
|
principal (Used for the head of some universities and colleges, especially in the UK and Commonwealth; often interchangeable in function with 'rector'.)
Antonyms
student (Represents the lowest level in the university hierarchy, as opposed to the top administrative role of the rector.)
|
lecturer (An academic teaching position within the institution but without overall leadership responsibility like a rector.)
Themes
education
|administration
|work
|core_vocabulary
Definition
The main leader of a university or college in some countries, similar to a president or chancellor.
The chief administrative and ceremonial officer in charge of a university or similar higher-education institution, especially in many European and Latin American systems.
NOUN
C1
FORMAL
3
Usage pattern:
rector of [a seminary/religious house]
The rector of the seminary gave a lecture on pastoral ethics.
A szeminárium rektora előadást tartott a lelkipásztori etikáról.
After ten years as rector, he returned to parish work.
Tíz év rektori szolgálat után visszatért a plébániai munkához.
The bishop asked the rector to review the formation program for future priests.
As rector of the theological college, she oversees both academic and spiritual formation.
The seminarians met with the rector at the end of each term to discuss their progress.
Learner examples
The rector of the seminary talks with each student once a month.
A szeminárium rektora havonta egyszer beszélget minden hallgatóval.
The bishop chose a new rector for the religious college.
A püspök új rektort nevezett ki az egyházi főiskola élére.
The rector plans the daily life in the seminary.
Students must follow the rules that the rector gives them.
The rector and the teachers meet every week.
Common mistake:
Learners may think this meaning is the same as a local parish priest, but here 'rector' refers to the person leading a training institution for clergy. In many church contexts, it is better to say 'rector of the seminary' or 'rector of the college', not just 'rector', to make the meaning clear.
Meaning
head priest of a seminary or house
Collocations
seminary rector
|rector of the seminary
|rector of the major seminary
|religious house rector
|rector of the theological college
Synonyms
seminary director (Similar leadership role but focuses on administrative management rather than explicitly clerical authority.)
|
religious superior (Broader term for the head of a religious community; does not necessarily imply responsibility for formal training.)
Antonyms
seminarian (A student training for the priesthood, opposite in role to the rector who is in charge of that training institution.)
|
assistant rector (A subordinate clergy member who supports but does not hold the top leadership position.)
Themes
religion
|education
|work
Definition
A priest who is the main leader of a seminary or religious school for future priests.
A priest who has overall responsibility for leading and managing a seminary, religious college, or other church-run institution that trains clergy.
NOUN
C2
ARCHAIC
4
rektor
C2
Usage pattern:
rector of [a medieval/Church of England parish]
In the eighteenth century, the rector of the parish received all the great tithes from the surrounding farms.
A tizennyolcadik században a plébánia rektora megkapta a környező gazdaságokból származó összes nagy tizedet.
Legally, the rector was responsible for the repair of the chancel, while the parishioners maintained the rest of the church.
Jogi értelemben a rektor felelt a szentély javításáért, míg a hívek a templom többi részét tartották fenn.
The living was rich, and the rector rarely visited, leaving most duties to his poorly paid curate.
Under the old system, the rector held both spiritual and temporal authority within the parish.
The document records the appointment of a new rector to the benefice in 1623.
Learner examples
In old England, the rector got money from the farmers' tithes.
A régi Angliában a rektor pénzt kapott a gazdák tizedéből.
History books say the rector was often a rich man.
A történelemkönyvek szerint a rektor gyakran gazdag ember volt.
The rector had to keep part of the church building in good repair.
A curate worked for the rector and did much of the daily work.
The king could choose who became rector of some parishes.
Common mistake:
This meaning is mainly found in history or church-law texts. Learners sometimes think this older financial-legal sense still applies in modern everyday use. In modern English, it is usually better to think of 'rector' as a church leader or university head, not as a technical legal owner of tithes.
Meaning
historical holder of parish tithes
Collocations
rector of the parish
|rector and vicar
|impropriate rector
|rector of the living
|rights of the rector
Synonyms
incumbent (Legal term for the holder of a church benefice; broader and still used more widely than the specifically financial sense of 'rector'.)
|
parson (Older general term for a beneficed clergyman; overlaps with 'rector' in historical contexts.)
Antonyms
vicar (In the same historical system, a clergyman who did not receive the full tithes but only a part, opposite in financial status to a rector.)
|
curate (Assistant clergy in a parish without independent rights to the benefice or tithes.)
Themes
religion
|law
|history
Definition
In older English church law, a priest who had the full legal right to the money and goods (tithes) from a parish.
In the historical system of the Church of England, a clergyman who held the benefice of a parish and was legally entitled to receive all of its tithes, as distinct from a vicar who received only a portion.
Grammar
Dictionary form
rector
IPA
GB/ɹˈɛktɚ/
US/ɹˈɛktɚ/
Syllables & stress
rect - or (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (rect)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: rector
- Plural: rectors
Word family
Forms
rectors
noun
Core family
rectory
noun
Related words
rectorship
noun
Advanced or less common
rectorial
adjective
rectorate
noun
Expressions
No expressions linked to this entry yet.