1. a university lecturer in Germany and some other European countries who is qualified to teach but does not hold a professorial chair
Usage: German academic system; also spelled Privatdozent

Examples

• After completing his habilitation, he became a privatdocent at the University of Berlin.
• The privatdocent delivered lectures on medieval history to graduate students.
• She worked as a privatdocent for several years before receiving a full professorship.
• The position of privatdocent allows scholars to teach and conduct research independently.
• Many privatdocents supplement their income with other academic work.
• The privatdocent system has been an important part of German higher education for centuries.