Skip to the word

Added 9 October 2026

lector

/ˈlɛktə(ɹ)/ noun

Latin root: lēctor Wiktionary

noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about lector at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

A lay person who reads aloud certain religious texts in a church service.
A public lecturer or reader at some universities.
A person who reads aloud to workers to entertain them, appointed by a trade union.

verb

To perform service as a lector in a religious context.
To do a voice-over translation of a film.

Origin

From Middle English lector, lectoure, lectour, from Late Latin lēctor, from legō (“to read”). “Voice-over” sense probably adapted from Polish lektor. Doublet of lecture and lecturer.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

Back to today's word