CENSOR

censor

(noun) a person who is authorized to read publications or correspondence or to watch theatrical performances and suppress in whole or in part anything considered obscene or politically unacceptable

censor

(noun) someone who censures or condemns

censor

(verb) subject to political, religious, or moral censorship; “This magazine is censored by the government”

ban, censor

(verb) forbid the public distribution of ( a movie or a newspaper)

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology 1

Noun

censor (plural censors)

(Ancient Rome, historical) One of the two magistrates who originally administered the census of citizens, and by Classical times (between the 8th century B.C.E. and the 6th century C.E.) was a high judge of public behaviour and morality.

Synonyms: censorian, censurer (both obsolete)

An official responsible for the removal or suppression of objectionable material (for example, if obscene or likely to incite violence) or sensitive content in books, films, correspondence, and other media.

Synonym: censurer (obsolete)

(education) A college or university official whose duties vary depending on the institution.

(obsolete) One who censures or condemns.

Synonym: censurer

Usage notes

Not to be confused with censer (“container for burning incense; person who perfumes with incense”) or censure (“act of condemning as wrong; official reprimand”).

Verb

censor (third-person singular simple present censors, present participle censoring, simple past and past participle censored)

(transitive) To review for, and if necessary to remove or suppress, content from books, films, correspondence, and other media which is regarded as objectionable (for example, obscene, likely to incite violence, or sensitive).

Synonyms: bowdlerize, expurgate, expunge, redact

Antonym: decensor

Etymology 2

Noun

censor (plural censors)

(psychology) A hypothetical subconscious agency which filters unacceptable thought before it reaches the conscious mind.

Anagrams

• Cerons, Cosner, Crones, Oncers, crones, crosne, necros, oncers, recons, scorne, sercon

Source: Wiktionary

Cen"sor, n. Etym: [L. censor, fr. censere to value, tax.]

1. (Antiq.)

Definition: One of two magistrates of Rome who took a register of the number and property of citizens, and who also exercised the office of inspector of morals and conduct.

2. One who is empowered to examine manuscripts before they are committed to the press, and to forbid their publication if they contain anything obnoxious; -- an official in some European countries.

3. One given to fault-finding; a censurer. Nor can the most circumspect attention, or steady rectitude, escape blame from censors who have no inclination to approve. Rambler.

4. A critic; a reviewer. Received with caution by the censors of the press. W. Irving.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition