English

Adjective

professorly ‎(comparative more professorly, superlative most professorly)

1. (informal, possibly nonstandard) Professorial; having the manner or appearance of a professor or professors.
   • 1973 January 21, Grace Glueck, "A Most Zeitgeist-y Affair," New York Times (retrieved 10 April 2013):

     The decorous, professorly group known as the College Art Association will descend on us this week for its 61st annual convention.

   • 1993 June 2, "Fine threads don't mean top profs, Tech study says," Roanoke Times:

     Of course the subjects weren't really professors, Davis said, just professorly looking men she had spotted.

   • 2005 February 22, William McKeen, "Larger than life, a mystery in death," Tampa Bay Times (retrieved 10 April 2013):

     So, after doing my professorly duty and dispensing wisdom, I hang up with the reporter and stand in the middle of the dark bedroom.

   • 2009 January 12, Jon Blyth, "Jimmy Carr saved my life", The Guardian (UK) (retrieved 10 April 2013):

     Reading The God Delusion, on the other hand, all I did was nod furiously and point at myself, and perform a little professorly strut around the train carriage.

   • 2011 July 5, Eleanor Henderson, "Tumultuous Tales Of Loathing And Wit," National Public Radio (retrieved 10 April 2013):

     Often compared to Bellow and Roth, his prose reminds me more of Chabon's, but perhaps more avuncular, more, yes, professorly, shaping the male Jewish consciousness.