supervisor

noun

su·​per·​vi·​sor ˈsü-pər-ˌvī-zər 

: one that supervises

especially : an administrative officer in charge of a business, government, or school unit or operation

supervisory

ˌsü-pər-ˈvī-zə-rē 

-ˈvīz-rē

adjective

Synonyms

• administrant
• administrator
• archon
• director
• exec
• executive
• manager
• superintendent

Examples of supervisor in a Sentence

The supervisor fired him after he showed up at work drunk.

If you have a problem, go to your supervisor.

Recent Examples on the Web

One such pool mentioned by a handful of supervisors during a committee meeting was the Hales Corners Pool, which has not been open since 2019. —Vanessa Swales, Journal Sentinel, 15 May 2024

Opponents of Proposition 1 have included not only Republican lawmakers and conservative-leaning county boards of supervisors, but also disability rights activists and some mental health groups. —Vik Jolly, Sacramento Bee, 15 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Medieval Latin, from supervidēre

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

supervisor

noun

su·​per·​vi·​sor ˈsü-pər-ˌvī-zər 

: a person who supervises

especially : an officer in charge of a unit or an operation of a business, government, or school

supervisory

ˌsü-pər-ˈvīz-(ə-)rē 

adjective

Legal Definition

supervisor

noun

su·​per·​vi·​sor ˈsü-pər-ˌvī-zər 

: one that directs or oversees a person, group, department, organization, or operation

specifically : the popularly elected chief administrative official of a township or other subdivision in some states of the U.S.

supervisorial

ˌsü-pər-ˌvī-ˈzōr-ē-əl

adjective

supervisory

ˌsü-pər-ˈvī-zə-rē 

adjective