Censor

Quick meaning: Censor is a noun meaning (Ancient China, historical) A high-ranking official who was responsible for the supervision of subordinate government officials.

Meaning

(Ancient China, historical) A high-ranking official who was responsible for the supervision of subordinate government officials.

More Meanings

1. (education) A college or university official whose duties vary depending on the institution.
2. (computing) An algorithm that approves or rejects something on grounds of taste or morality etc.
3. (statistics, chiefly passive voice) To partially obscure an observation.
4. An official responsible for the removal or suppression of objectionable material (for example, if obscene or likely to incite violence) or sensitive content in books, films, correspondence, and other media.
5. To review for, and if necessary to remove or suppress, content from books, films, correspondence, and other media which is regarded as objectionable (for example, obscene, likely to incite violence, or sensitive).
6. (Ancient Rome, historical) One of the two magistrates who originally administered the census of citizens, and by Classical times (between the 8th century B.C.E. and the 6th century C.E.) was a high judge of public behaviour and morality.
7. (obsolete) One who censures or condemns.

Example Sentences

And Nobly nam'd, ſo twice being Cenſor, / Was his great Anceſtor.

The Ancient Roman censors were part of the cursus honorum, a series of public offices held during a political career, like consuls and praetors.

The headmaster was an even stricter censor of his boarding pupils’ correspondence than the enemy censors had been of his own when the country was occupied.

There being a censor of public morals I will refrain from giving that worthy warrior's reply when he had digested this astounding piece of information; it is sufficient to say that it did not encourage further conversation, nor did it soothe our hero's nerves.

Word Forms

• censors
• censour
• censoring
• censored

Synonyms for censor

Depending on context, synonyms include censorian, censurer, bowdlerize, expurgate, expunge, redact.

Antonyms for censor

Common opposites include decensor.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include ban, inspectorate, censorship, inspector, sergeant, examiner.

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