manager

American  

[man-i-jer] / ˈmæn ɪ dʒər /

noun

1. a person who has control or direction of an institution, business, etc., or of a part, division, or phase of it.

   Synonyms:

   boss, supervisor, superintendent, executive, administrator

2. a person who manages.

   the manager of our track team.

3. a person who controls and manipulates resources and expenditures, as of a household.

4. British. (formerly) a theatrical producer.

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manager British  

/ ˈmænɪdʒə /

noun

1. a person who directs or manages an organization, industry, shop, etc

2. a person who controls the business affairs of an actor, entertainer, etc

3. a person who controls the training of a sportsman or team

4. a person who has a talent for managing efficiently

5. law a person appointed by a court to carry on a business during receivership

6. (in Britain) a member of either House of Parliament appointed to arrange a matter in which both Houses are concerned

7. a computer program that organizes a resource, such as a set of files or a database

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Usage

What does manager mean? Manager most commonly refers to a person who supervises employees in a company or other organization. Managers are typically somewhere in the middle level of an organization—the term most commonly refers to a person who is a boss but also has a boss. Manager is the noun form of the verb manage, which has many meanings but commonly means to be in charge of or supervise employees. Example: After six years, I’ve finally been promoted to the position of manager.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• managership
  noun
• undermanager
  noun
• submanagership
  noun
• submanager
  noun

Etymology

Origin of manager

First recorded in 1580–90; manage + -er ¹

Explanation

It makes sense that a manager is someone who "manages," or takes charge of something. A baseball team manager is in charge of running the team, while a business manager oversees finances, scheduling, and the everyday operation of the business. The probable origin of the word manager comes from the Latin manus, meaning "hand." A good manager provides the necessary "hand," guiding others. The Italian maneggiare means "to control," and was especially used with reference to training horses, a job for which certain managers you've worked for might be better suited. The word extends beyond human beings as well: the file manager on your computer is a program designed to organize data.

Example Sentences

Stale Solbakken, the Norway head coach, and Brede Hangeland, the team manager, have let fly in the media about a training game between the reserve players from the two countries that Clarke cancelled.

From BBC • Jun. 8, 2026

No portfolio manager picking the winners from AI’s advances across the economy gets attention quite like Aschenbrenner, despite the fact that he eschews public appearances and rarely posts on X.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 8, 2026

“The audience knows if you’re authentic or not,” says Ryan Revel, a talent manager who represents “The Challenge” alum Johnny “Bananas” Devenanzio and former “Vanderpump Rules” stars Tom Sandoval, Kristen Doute and Jax Taylor.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 2026

Barron’s Live: Scottish money manager Baillie Gifford takes a long-term approach to investing in innovative companies with enormous growth potential.

From Barron's • Jun. 8, 2026

As manager of the household, Leah kept their earnings and ran their schedule.

From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock

Related Words

• administrator
• boss
• controller
• director
• executive
• officer
• official
• organizer
• producer
• superintendent
• supervisor