associate professor

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Explanation of "Associate Professor"

Definition: An "associate professor" is a type of teacher at a college or university. They are ranked higher than "assistant professors" (who are usually newer teachers) but lower than "full professors" (who are the most experienced and recognized ones).

Example:

• "Dr. Smith is an associate professor of biology at the university, where she teaches and conducts research on plant genetics."

Advanced Usage:

• In academic settings, the title "associate professor" can also indicate that a person has achieved tenure, which means they have a permanent position and cannot be easily dismissed.

Word Variants:

• Assistant Professor: A lower rank than an associate professor, often someone who is newer to teaching at the university level.
• Full Professor: The highest rank, indicating a very experienced and often published educator.

Different Meanings:

• In a different context, "associate" can mean someone who is connected to another person in a partnership or business. For example, "He is an associate in a law firm."

Synonyms:

• There are not exact synonyms, but similar terms might include "faculty member" or simply "professor" when referring to academic roles broadly.

Idioms and Phrasal Verbs:

• There aren’t specific idioms or phrasal verbs directly related to "associate professor." However, you might hear phrases like "climbing the academic ladder," which means advancing in academic ranks, including moving from assistant to associate professor.

Summary:

An associate professor is a university teacher who is more experienced than an assistant professor but not yet at the top level of full professor.

Academic

Noun

1. a teacher lower in rank than a full professor but higher than an assistant professor