What is the Hebrew word for professor?

There isn't one single perfect translation for "professor" in Hebrew, as the best word depends on the context. However, the most common and generally accepted translations are:

* פרופסור (Professor): This is a direct loanword from English and is widely understood. It's the most common and generally appropriate choice.

* מרצה (Marza): This word means "lecturer" and is often used, especially for university lecturers who may not hold the full title of "professor."

The choice between them depends on whether you want to emphasize the formal title ("Professor") or the teaching function ("lecturer"). For most situations, פרופסור (Professor) is perfectly suitable.