director

noun

di·​rec·​tor də-ˈrek-tər 

dī-

: one who directs: such as

a

: the head of an organized group or administrative unit (such as a bureau or school)

director of religious education

a communications director

b

: one of a group of persons entrusted with the overall direction of a corporate enterprise

on the board of directors for a large corporation

c

: a person who supervises the production of a show (as for stage or screen) usually with responsibility for action, lighting, music, and rehearsals

a famous Hollywood director

d

music : conductor sense c

directorship

də-ˈrek-tər-ˌship 

dī-

noun

Synonyms of director

• manager
• executive
• administrator
• superintendent
• supervisor

Examples of director in a Sentence

The company will hire a new director of marketing.

She's the director of graduate studies at the university.

She's considered one of the best young directors in Hollywood.

Recent Examples on the Web

Released late last year, the short by writer-director Martin Hemingway-Moseley has surpassed 600k views on YouTube, maintained a 99% approval rating and has a strong following across social platforms. — Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2026

Warsh spoke at a fireside chat with the International Monetary Fund's managing director, Kristalina Georgieva, as part of the weeklong IMF-World Bank Annual Meetings in Bangkok on Friday. — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2026

There is speculation, too, that Balenciaga, where creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli is plying his couture chops and returning the brand to its roots, might also be facing some changes. — Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 16 Oct. 2026

Kling teamed with filmmakers including Korean director Kim Sung-su to show how AI might reshape filmmaking, and Forum BIFF screened an AI short by Jia Zhangke. — Ophélie Surcouf, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

see direct entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing director

• casting director
• co-director
• director of photography
• director's chair
• director's cut
• funeral director
• managing director
• program director
• stage director
• sub-director

Rhymes for director

• bisector
• collector
• connector
• corrector
• defector
• deflector
• detector
• dissector
• effector
• ejector
• elector
• erector

Kids Definition

director

noun

di·​rec·​tor də-ˈrek-tər 

dī-

: one that directs: as

a

: one of a group of persons who direct the business of an organized body (as a corporation)

the board of directors

b

: one that guides the making of a show (as for stage or screen)

c

: conductor sense 2

directorial

də-ˌrek-ˈtōr-ē-əl, 

(ˌ)dī-, 

-ˈtȯr-

adjective

directorship

də-ˈrek-tər-ˌship 

dī-

noun

Medical Definition

director

noun

di·​rec·​tor də-ˈrek-tər, dī- 

: an instrument grooved to guide and limit the motion of a surgical knife

Legal Definition

director

noun

di·​rec·​tor

1

: the head of an organized group or administrative unit or agency

2

: any of a group of persons usually elected by shareholders and entrusted with the overall control of a corporation

Note: Directors owe a fiduciary duty to the shareholders in the exercise of their powers. Directors have the power to appoint and dismiss officers, declare and pay dividends on stock, initiate major corporate actions such as mergers or dissolution, and determine other matters affecting the corporation.

directorship noun