administration

noun

ad·​min·​is·​tra·​tion əd-ˌmi-nə-ˈstrā-shən 

(ˌ)ad-

1

: performance of executive duties : management

worked in the administration of a hospital

2

: the act or process of administering something

the administration of justice

the administration of medication

3

: the execution of public affairs as distinguished from policymaking

4

a

: a body of persons who administer

b

often Administration : a group constituting the political executive in a presidential government

a member of the Bush administration

c

: a governmental agency or board

the U.S. Food and Drug Administration

5

: the term of office of an administrative officer or body

during the first Clinton administration

Synonyms of administration

• government
• governance
• rule
• regime

Examples of administration in a Sentence

She has a degree in business administration.

The editorial criticizes the college's administration for not taking a stand on the issue.

Her lecture compared the policies of this administration to the previous one.

Administration officials refused to comment.

At first, the administration denied the allegations.

The drug has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

oral administration of the drug

Recent Examples on the Web

The administration of Baltimore County Executive Kathy Klausmeier is following in the footsteps of its predecessor by squandering taxpayers’ money to conceal information from the public that the public has the absolute right to know. —David Plymyer, Baltimore Sun, 26 Mar. 2026

While the plan to relocate the city administration building to Miami Freedom Park has been more widely discussed, the prospect of combining it with City Hall has received less attention. —Tess Riski march 26, Miami Herald, 26 Mar. 2026

The administration may have gained confidence from the successful operation to capture former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in January, Davis said, but the geography, military capability and strategic depth of Iran bear little resemblance to the Caracas raid. —Anniek Bao, CNBC, 26 Mar. 2026

Administration officials said about 10% of TSA workers failed to report for duty on some recent days, compared to typical rates of less than 2%. —Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English administracioun, borrowed from Anglo-French amynistraciun, administracioun, borrowed from Latin administrātiōn-, administrātiō, from administrāre "to administer" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing administration

• anti-administration
• business administration
• co-administration
• letters of administration
• self-administration

Rhymes for administration

• abbreviation
• abomination
• acceleration
• accentuation
• accommodation
• accreditation
• acculturation
• accumulation
• acetylation
• adjudication
• adulteration
• affiliation

Kids Definition

administration

noun

ad·​min·​is·​tra·​tion əd-ˌmin-ə-ˈstrā-shən 

ad-

1

: the act or process of administering

2

: performance of supervising duties : management

3

: the work involved in managing public affairs as distinguished from policy-making

4

a

: a group of persons who administer

b

capitalized : the executive branch of a government

Medical Definition

administration

noun

ad·​min·​is·​tra·​tion əd-ˌmin-ə-ˈstrā-shən, (ˌ)ad- 

1

: the act of giving medication

administration of a dose of antitoxin

—Morris Fishbein

2

: the direction of the execution of something

administration of a quarantine law

—V. G. Heiser

Legal Definition

administration

noun

ad·​min·​is·​tra·​tion əd-ˌmi-nə-ˈstrā-shən 

1

: the act or process of administering

the administration of justice

2

a

: the management and disposal under court authority of the estate of a deceased person by an executor or an administrator

b

: the management of an estate (as of a minor) by a trustee or guardian appointed to take charge of it

c

: the management of assets held in a trust

3

: the execution of public affairs as distinguished from policy-making

4

a

: a body of persons (as of an organization) who administer

b

often capitalized : a group that makes up the executive branch of a presidential government

c

: a governmental agency or board

5

: the term of office of an administrative officer or body