administrator
Americannoun
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administrators
plural
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a person who manages or has a talent for managing.
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Law. a person appointed by a court to take charge of the estate of a decedent, but not appointed in the decedent's will.
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Computers. Also admin
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a person who manages and supports a computer system or network, as in a business or other organization.
the company’s system administrator;
a database administrator.
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a person who determines the site policies, appoints moderators, and manages the technical operation of an internet message board or other interactive website.
a forum administrator.
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a user account on a home computer accessible only by the user who manages the computer system.
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a user who has access to this user account.
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noun
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a person who administers the affairs of an organization, official body, etc
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property law a person authorized to manage an estate, esp when the owner has died intestate or without having appointed executors
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a person who manages a computer system
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of administrator
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Middle French administratour, from Latin administrātor, equivalent to administrā(re) “to assist, serve” ( see administer) + -tor -tor
Explanation
The boss, the head honcho, the person in charge: An administrator is the person responsible for managing things and running the show. Administrators are often found directing government agencies, organizing institutions, or leading school departments. They're the decision makers and the planners, the people who put in place or administer the rules and guidelines. In other words, the administrator's office is probably the last place you want to end up if you're in trouble.
Vocabulary lists containing administrator
Like A Boss: Words for the Person in Charge
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The Executive Branch: The Presidency and Vice Presidency
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The Parker Inheritance
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The charges stem from last July, when Hilliard was administrator of the university's Nike Elite program and officials notified the internal audit department about concerns with Hilliard.
From Barron's ● Aug. 10, 2026
Instead, the zoning administrator left the public record open for 30 days to allow additional written comments before issuing a decision.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 7, 2026
"We are bucking that national trend," says Bill Graham, a senior administrator at the practice.
From BBC ● Aug. 3, 2026
Not possible, she said an administrator informed her.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026
But while Abigail was a great administrator and fair leader, she was not made to solve puzzles.
From "The Parker Inheritance" by Varian Johnson
In an attempt to shift the blame, prison administrators might be trying to focus on the physical cause of the fire.
From Slate ● Aug. 11, 2026
Yet internal documents I obtained show that state administrators used it for that purpose via the distribution of training resources and materials to employees at participating schools.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026
"Our immediate focus is to support an orderly process, provide clarity wherever possible, and work with the relevant court-appointed administrators to preserve viable activities and employment where circumstances allow."
From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026
Medicaid administrators say the funds can be recovered if the states supply the requested documentation.
From Salon ● Aug. 5, 2026
We glance down the hallway where we see all the head administrators hovering around the gym doors.
From "Finding Junie Kim" by Ellen Oh
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
