preceptor – English noun declension

English noun forms of preceptor

Noun: preceptor
Singularpreceptor
Pluralpreceptors

Sample Sentences

  • A man who had thought so much on the subjects of language and education was surely no ordinary preceptor. [c. 1793, Edward Gibbon, Memoirs, Penguin, published 1990, page 64:]
  • When a youth of twelve years, - since, as Solomon says, "The root of learning is bitter, although the fruit is sweet - and following his literary pursuits, in order to avoid the discipline and frequent stripes inflicted on him by his preceptor, he ran away, and concealed himself under the hollow bank of a river[.] [1828, Thomas Keightley, The Fairy Mythology, volume II, London: William Harrison Ainsworth, page 191:]
  • We shall resume our studies later on; but just now I am tired of playing the preceptor; and the eager thirst of my pupils for improvement does not console me for the slowness of their progress. [1905, George Bernard Shaw, The author's apology from Mrs. Warren's Profession, page 61:]
  • Near-synonyms: mentor, professor

Etymology

From Middle English preceptor, preceptur, from Latin praeceptor (“commander; instructor”), from the verb praecipiō + -or (“-er: forming agent nouns”), from prae- (“pre-, fore-: before”) + capiō (“to take; to get, to take in, to understand”). See: Middle English Nouns 'preceptor', Latin Nouns 'praeceptor'.