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cattedra

teacher's desk

noun KAHT-teh-drah Less Common
People & Society Education

Origin: From Latin cathedra, from Greek kathedra (seat, chair).

Also means

professorship

Usage Note

Cattedra literally denotes the raised desk from which a teacher or professor lectures, but more importantly it means a tenured teaching post (avere una cattedra = to hold a professorship). A teacher who is di ruolo holds a permanent cattedra; supply teachers do not. The plural is le cattedre. Related to English 'cathedral' (the bishop's seat).

Examples

"Il professore è seduto in cattedra."

Natural Translation

The professor is sitting at the teacher's desk.

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