dispatcher

American  

[dih-spach-er] / dɪˈspætʃ ər /

noun

1. a person who dispatches.

2. a person who oversees the departure of trains, airplanes, buses, etc., as for a transportation company or railroad.

3. Slang. dispatchers, a fraudulently made pair of dice; loaded dice.

---

Other Word Forms

• predispatcher
  noun

Etymology

Origin of dispatcher

First recorded in 1540–50; dispatch + -er ¹

Explanation

A dispatcher is someone whose work involves receiving messages and organizing the movement of ambulances and other vehicles. Being a dispatcher requires excellent communication skills in a high-pressure environment. An emergency dispatcher's work day might include getting phone calls from people who need medical assistance or the help of firefighters. A taxi dispatcher, on the other hand, communicates with each cab driver about where to pick up passengers who've called for rides. To dispatch is to send something off quickly, and for most dispatchers, their job is dispatching vehicles.

Example Sentences

Filipino ferry dispatcher Dave Delos Reyes has been handing out N95 masks for nearly three weeks to protect passengers against the smoke that a landfill fire has sent billowing above a stretch of Manila Bay.

From Barron's • Apr. 30, 2026

He adds it is a "straightforward solution and it was quite right that EasyJet's dispatcher and captain would not take-off until the airplane was within limits".

From BBC • Apr. 19, 2026

“My father has been illegally detained,” he told the dispatcher nervously, stumbling over his words.

From Salon • Mar. 24, 2026

Alfred told investigators he continued to order Barber to show his hands and reported what was happening back to a police dispatcher, prompting more officers to respond.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 11, 2026

“Can you see a fire up north?” the dispatcher asked.

From "The Milagro Beanfield War" by John Nichols

Related Words

• courier
• emissary
• go-between
• mediator
• prophet