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

• managership noun
• submanager noun
• submanagership noun
• undermanager 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

At the Hyatt Centric Las Olas in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., a kind front-desk manager gave me a token for the champagne vending machine.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026

Maddie Haining, from Oldham, went to Club Tropicana in Manchester's Gay Village on Saturday night with a friend but within five minutes of entering was asked by a bar manager to leave.

From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026

The world’s largest asset manager reported $2.2 billion in net income, marking a 46% jump from the same period last year.

From Barron's • Apr. 14, 2026

As a Single-A manager, he was responsible for lugging a printer onto the team bus and restocking the ink so he could have scouting reports in the dugout.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026

The mining station manager had agreed to cooperate.

From "The Wild Robot Protects" by Peter Brown

Related Words

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