(informal, possibly nonstandard) Professorial; having the manner or appearance of a professor or professors.
1973 January 21, Grace Glueck, "A Most Zeitgeist-y Affair," New York Times (retrieved 10 April 2013)The decorous, professorly group known as the College Art Association will descend on us this week for its 61st annual convention.
1993 June 2, "Fine threads don't mean top profs, Tech study says," Roanoke Times:Of course the subjects weren't really professors, Davis said, just professorly looking men she had spotted.
2005 February 22, William McKeen, "Larger than life, a mystery in death," Tampa Bay Times (retrieved 10 April 2013)So, after doing my professorly duty and dispensing wisdom, I hang up with the reporter and stand in the middle of the dark bedroom.
2009 January 12, Jon Blyth, "Jimmy Carr saved my life", The Guardian (UK) (retrieved 10 April 2013)Reading The God Delusion, on the other hand, all I did was nod furiously and point at myself, and perform a little professorly strut around the train carriage.
2011 July 5, Eleanor Henderson, "Tumultuous Tales Of Loathing And Wit," National Public Radio (retrieved 10 April 2013)Often compared to Bellow and Roth, his prose reminds me more of Chabon's, but perhaps more avuncular, more, yes, professorly, shaping the male Jewish consciousness.
