superintendent

1 of 2

noun

su·​per·​in·​ten·​dent ˌsü-p(ə-)rin-ˈten-dənt 

ˌsü-pərn-

: one who has executive oversight and charge

superintendent

2 of 2

adjective

: having executive oversight and charge of something : of, relating to, or being a superintendent

superintendent [=supervising] powers

a superintendent officer

The wedding will take place three days after our return to England, by special license, at the office of the district superintendent registrar, in the presence of my solicitor and his clerk, who, like his clients, will be in ordinary walking dress.

—George Bernard Shaw

Synonyms of superintendent

Noun

• manager
• administrator
• executive
• director
• supervisor

Examples of superintendent in a Sentence

Noun

the office of the superintendent of parks issues camping permits

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The now-former superintendent also questioned the motives behind an investigation of her launched this summer. — Julia Coin, Charlotte Observer, 5 Oct. 2026

The department’s deputy superintendent of operations, Abel Guillén, sent an email to staff last Friday that one live bedbug and five dead ones were found in room 3506. — Corey Schmidt, Sacbee.com, 3 Oct. 2026

Adjective

Smith was already superintendent when 2000 began, having taken over CMS in 1996. — Nora O'Neill, Charlotte Observer, 30 Sep. 2026

Those ballot initiatives were initially discussed while Craft was superintendent. — Scott Huddleston, San Antonio Express-News, 30 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Medieval Latin superintendent-, superintendens, from Late Latin, present participle of superintendere

First Known Use

Noun

1554, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1566, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing superintendent

• sidewalk superintendent

Rhymes for superintendent

• interdependent
• appendant
• ascendant
• attendant
• defendant
• dependant
• dependent
• descendant
• descendent
• intendant
• resplendent
• transcendent

Kids Definition

superintendent

noun

su·​per·​in·​ten·​dent ˌsü-p(ə-)rin-ˈten-dənt 

ˌsü-pərn-

: a person who directs, manages, or maintains something

Legal Definition

superintendent

noun

su·​per·​in·​ten·​dent

: one who has the oversight and charge of a place, institution, department, organization, or operation

specifically : the executive head of a police department