chancellor

plural chancellors · alternative chanceler · alternative chanceller · alternative chancellour · alternative chancelor · alternative chancelour · alternative chaunceler · alternative chaunceller · alternative chauncellor · alternative chauncellour · alternative chauncelor · alternative chauncelour

1. A senior secretary or official with administrative or legal duties, sometimes in charge of some area of government such as finance or justice.

   Lord Chancellor

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   Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster

   The 6ᵗʰ daye after, the Duke beyng infourmyd of myne arryvayle, sent his Chancellour to myne inne, desyryng to knowe the cause of my comying tether; […]

   1533 September 6, Stephen Vaughan, “CCCLXXVI. Vaughan to King Henry VIII.”, in State Papers Published under the Authority of Her Majesty’s Commission, volumes VII (King Henry the Eighth. Part V.—Continued.), London: Printed by George E[dward] Eyre and William Spottiswoode, […], published 1849, →OCLC, page 502

   We have in the Wiſedome and Dexteritie of, our right truſty and wellbeloved Counſellor, Thomas Lord Elleſmere, and for certen other eſpeciall Cauſes Us moving, have given and graunted unto the ſaid Thomas Lord Elleſmere the Office of our Lord Chauncellor of England, and given Aucthority to the ſaid Lord Elleſmere to heare examyne and determyne Cauſes Matters and Suytes as ſhall happen to bee, as well in our Chauncery as in our Starchamber, like as the Chauncellor of England or Keeper of the Greate Seale of England, […]

   1603, Thomas Rymer, Robert Sanderson, “De Liberatura pro Domino Cancellario Angliæ”, in Fœdera, Conventiones, Literæ, et Cujuscunque Generis Acta Publica, inter Regis Angliæ, […], 2nd edition, volume XVI, London: Per J[acob] Tonson, published 1727, →OCLC, page 541, column 1

   But tho' this Family might make an honourable Figure at the Bar, yet it ſeems a little unaccountable how a Chancellor of the Bourbonnois came to be charg'd with the Reformation of the whole French Kingdom.

   [1746?] October 25, “Lettre sur Jean Faust, &c. That is, A Letter Concerning John Faust, Printer of Mentz. By a Librarian of Geneva. Geneva, 1745.”, in [Mark Akenside], editor, The Museum: Or, The Literary and Historical Register, volume II, number XVI, London: Printed for R[obert] Dodsley […], published 1746 (indicated on title page), →OCLC, page 106

   And everyone who'd marry a Ward / Must come to me for my accord, / And in my court I sit all day, / Giving agreeable girls away, / […] / And one for thou—and one for thee— / But never, oh never a one for me! / Which is exasperating, for / A highly susceptible Chancellor!

   1882 November 25 (first performance), W[illiam] S[chwenck] Gilbert; Arthur Sullivan, music, […] Iolanthe; or, The Peer and the Peri, London: Chappell & Co., […], published [1885?], →OCLC, act I, page 10

   1. UKabbreviationellipsisgovernmentEllipsis of Chancellor of the Exchequer.

      Chancellor Philip Hammond has told the BBC he and other MPs will "find a way" of blocking a no-deal Brexit. […] Mr Hammond is expected to be replaced as chancellor whoever wins the Conservative leadership election later this month.

      2019 July 5, “Philip Hammond: MPs will and should Stop No-deal Brexit”, in BBC News, archived from the original on 08 Jul 2019

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      [page 111] […] Lord Falkland […] took an Opportunity to tell the King, that He had now a good Opportunity to prefer Mr. Hyde, by making him Chancellor of the Exchequer, in the Place of Sir John Colepepper; […] [page 112] He [Colepepper] ſurrendered his Office of Chancellor of the Exchequer: And the next Day Mr. Hyde was ſworn of the Privy-Council, and Knighted, and had his Patents ſealed for that Office.

      [1760, Edward, Earl of Clarendon [i.e., Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon], “Part the Second”, in The Life of Edward, Earl of Clarendon, Lord High Chancellor of England, and Chancellor of the University of Oxford. […], volume I, Oxford, Oxfordshire: At the Clarendon Printing-house, →OCLC, pages 111 and 112

      Liz Truss has sacked Kwasi Kwarteng as her chancellor and replaced him with Jeremy Hunt ahead of a U-turn on key sections of her disastrous mini-budget, as she launched a desperate attempt to restore her crumbling political authority.

      2022 October 14, “Liz Truss sacks Kwasi Kwarteng before corporation tax U-turn”, in The Guardian

2. The head of the government in some German-speaking countries.

   the Austrian Chancellor

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   In the Reichstag, the Imperial Chancellor, Dr. [Theobald] von Bethmann-Hollweg, replied to questions upon the Zabern incident in a tone of protest and anger which has not been heard since the Morocco debate. Half the House itself was seething with indignation against the Government.

   1913 December 13, “The Scandal in Alsace. Indignation of the Reichstag.”, in The North-China Herald and Supreme Court & Consular Gazette: The Weekly Edition of the North-China Daily News, volume CIX (New Series), number 2418, Shanghai: Printed and published at the offices of the North-China Daily News & Herald, Ld., →OCLC, page 783, column 1

   He was a moderate who wanted German unity and became Chancellor of Bavaria after the Prussian defeat of Austria.

   2003, Owen Chadwick, A History of the Popes, 1830-1914, Oxford University Press, USA, →ISBN, page 194

   Germany's Angela Merkel has said she will step down as chancellor in 2021, following recent election setbacks. "I will not be seeking any political post after my term ends," she told a news conference in Berlin.

   2018 October 29, “Angela Merkel to Step down as German Chancellor in 2021”, in BBC News, archived from the original on 30 Jun 2019

   Synonyms: Reichskanzler

3. ChristianityA senior record keeper of a cathedral; a senior legal officer for a bishop or diocese in charge of hearing cases involving ecclesiastical law.

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   The Chancellor, as he is commonly called, who presides in the Diocesan Court, is appointed by the Bishop to the two ancient offices of Vicar General and Official Principal. When the Bishop, as was frequently the case, was absent from the Diocese, or for any other reason was unable to act in person, the Vicar General, as the name denotes, was his usual representative, while the exercise of his judicial authority he delegated to the Official Principal. For a long period of time the two offices have been always held together, and the Chancellor sometimes acts in one capacity and sometimes in the other.

   1907 November 20, W. T. P., “The Consistory Court of St. Asaph”, in Bye-gones Relating to Wales and the Border Counties, volume X (New Series), Oswestry, Shropshire; Wrexham, Denbighshire: Woodall, Minshall, Thomas and Co.; London: Elliot Stock […], →OCLC, page 139

4. educationThe head of a university, sometimes purely ceremonial.

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   When the extremely arduous duties of the Prime Minister’s [Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury’s] political life are considered, it will be understood that, if the Chancellorship of the University entailed any serious amount of work, it would have been impossible for him to continue in the office. As a matter of fact, this is not the case. There are Chancellor’s Prizes which he gives, but he does not present them in person. There is a Chancellor’s Court to which University men may be summoned, but it is invariably presided over by the Vice-Chancellor, who is, in fact, the one really executive authority. Sometimes the Chancellor heads deputations to Court, and sometimes (but rarely) he comes to [the University of] Oxford to preside over some special function, when his weighty words are greatly valued.

   1902, Frederick Douglas How, “The Marquis of Salisbury”, in Donald Macleod, editor, Good Words, London: Isbister and Company Limited […], →OCLC, section II (Oxford Days), pages 141–142

5. Scots lawThe foreman of a jury.

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   "Have you agreed on your chancellor, gentlemen?" was the first question of the Judge. The foreman, called in Scotland the chancellor of the jury, usually the man of best rank and estimation among the assizers, stepped forward, and, with a low reverence, delivered to the Court a sealed paper, containing the verdict, […]

   1818 July 25, Jedediah Cleishbotham [pseudonym; Walter Scott], chapter XII, in Tales of My Landlord, Second Series, […] (The Heart of Mid-Lothian), volume II, Edinburgh: […] [James Ballantyne and Co.] for Archibald Constable and Company, →OCLC, pages 285–286

   The verdict must be returned to the Court by the chancellor of the jury, in presence of the accused, and of the whole jury; and, being engrossed in the record, and read aloud, it is then sealed up, in terms of the regulations 1672, No. 9, and deposited with the clerk of Court, never to be opened again but by order of the judges. The verdict, when in writing, is authenticated by the subscriptions of the chancellor and clerk of the jury, and accompanied with a list of the names of the jurors, and a state of the vote of each individual, "whether condemning or assoilzieing;" Regulations 1672, No. 9.

   1826, Robert Bell, William Bell, “CRIMINAL PROSECUTION”, in A Dictionary of the Law of Scotland, 3rd revised and enlarged edition, volume I, Edinburgh: Printed for John Anderson & Co. […], and Bell & Bradfute, →OCLC, page 333

   [T]he pursuer moved the Court "for a rule to shew cause why this case should not be ordered to be tried, in respect that the verdict as it appears on the notes of the Judge furnished to the parties, was not declared by the chancellor or foreman of the jury in open Court, and taken down by the clerk of the said Court before the jury was discharged."

   1853 July 16, Geo[rge] Dingwall Fordyce (reporter), James Paterson (reporter), William Gillies Tytler (reporter), Frederick Hallard (reporter), “James Mackenzie, Pursuer, v. Dunlop, Wilson and Co., Defenders.”, in Reports of Cases Decided in the Supreme Courts of Scotland, and in the House of Lords on Appeal from Scotland, […], volume XXV, Edinburgh: M. Anderson and Co., […], page 558, column 2

6. USlawThe chief judge of a court of chancery (that is, one exercising equity jurisdiction).

   The state [of Virginia, USA] is divided into 9 chancery districts, in each of which a superiour court of chancery is held. There are 4 chancellors.

   1821–1822, “Virginia State Law and Regulations”, in William Griffith, editor, Annual Law Register of the United States, volume III, Burlington, N.J.: David Allinson, published 1822, →OCLC, paragraph VI (The “Superiour Courts of Chancery”), page 321, column 1

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   In some of the states, as New York, Virginia, and South Carolina, the equity court is a distinct tribunal, having its appropriate judge, or chancellor, and officers.

   1864, John Bouvier, “CHANCERY”, in A Law Dictionary, Adapted to the Constitution and Laws of the United States of America, […], 11th edition, volume I, Philadelphia, Pa.: George W[illiam] Childs, […], →OCLC, paragraph 3, page 219, column 2

   [John] Blair [Jr.] began his long judicial career when the state legislature—following the establishment of Virginia's judicial department in October, 1777—elected him one of five judges of the newly organized General Court. By 1779 he had become chief justice of that court, and, in November, 1780, he became chancellor of the three-member High Court of Chancery.

   1985, “John Blair: Appointment as Associate Justice in 1789”, in Maeva Marcus, James R. Perry, editors, The Documentary History of the Supreme Court of the United States, 1789–1800, volumes 1, part 1 (Appointments and Proceedings), New York, N.Y.: Columbia University Press, →ISBN, page 54

7. board gamesA fairy chess piece which combines the moves of the rook and the knight.

plural Chancellors

1. An honorific for the head of state in various German-speaking states.

   1 more example

   The other option – typified by the unapologetically noncharismatic leaders of Britain and Germany, Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Chancellor Friedrich Merz – has been to persuade the electorate they’ll work hard to deliver sustainable policy results on issues like immigration, and above all, economic growth, in a way that tub-thumping populists simply cannot.

   2025 July 24, Ned Temko, “In Japan, too, voters want their country to be ‘great again’”, in The Christian Science Monitor, archived from the original on 27 Jul 2025

2. UKabbreviationellipsisEllipsis of Chancellor of the Exchequer.

1. A surname.
2. A hamlet in Wheatland County, Alberta, Canada, named after the Chancellor of Germany by settlers.
3. A place in the United States:
   1. An unincorporated community in Geneva County, Alabama.
   2. A town in Turner County, South Dakota, named for Chancellor Otto von Bismarck.
   3. An unincorporated community in Spotsylvania County, Virginia.