prŏcer, ĕris, in sing. only Juv. 8, 26, and Capitol. Max. 2; prŏcĕres, um (anteclass. collat. form prŏcus, i, in the gen. plur.: procum patricium in descriptione classium quam facit, Serv. Tullius, significat procerum, Fest. p. 249 Müll.; cf.: jam (ut censoriae tabulae loquuntur) fabrum et procum audeo dicere, non fabrorum et procorum, Cic. Or. 46, 156), m. [pro and root kar- of creo; cf. procērus].
I Lit., a chief , noble; plur., the leading men , chiefs , nobles , princes (class.; syn.: primores, optimates, primi): scindunt proceres Pergamum, the Grecian chiefs , princes , * Plaut. Bacch. 4, 9, 130: audiebam nostros proceres clamitantes, Cic. Fam. 13, 15, 1: Latinorum, Liv. 1, 45, 2: Etruscorum, id. 2, 10: ego proceribus civitatis annumeror, Tac. A. 14, 53: Caecina Largus e proceribus, Plin. 17, 1, 1, § 5: delectos populi ad proceres, Verg. A. 3, 58: castrorum, Luc. 7, 69: in procerum coetu, id. 8, 261; Juv. 2, 121; 3, 213: proceres rerum, Sil. 11, 142.—Transf., of bees: procerum seditio, Col. 9, 9, 6.—In sing.: agnosco procerem, Juv. 8, 26: in pueritiā fuit pastor nonnumquam et procer, a leader , captain , Capitol. Max. 2.—
II Trop., the foremost or most celebrated men , the masters in an art, science, etc. (post-Aug.): proceres artis ejus (medicinae), Plin. 29, 1, 8, § 26: sapientiae, id. 7, 30, 31, § 112: gulae, id. 9, 17, 30, § 66: indicatis in genere utroque (pingendi) proceribus, id. 35, 11, 40, § 138.