supervisor

[soo-per-vahy-zer]

noun

1. a person who supervises workers or the work done by others; superintendent.

2. Education.,  an official responsible for assisting teachers in the preparation of syllabuses, in devising teaching methods, etc., in a department of instruction, especially in public schools.

3. (in some U.S. states) the chief elected administrative officer of a township, who is often also a member of the governing board of the county.

supervisor

/ ˈsuːpəˌvaɪzə /

noun

1. a person who manages or supervises

2. a foreman or forewoman

3. (in some British universities) a tutor supervising the work, esp research work, of a student

4. (in some US schools) an administrator running a department of teachers

5. (in some US states) the elected chief official of a township or other subdivision of a county

6. obsolete,  a spectator

Other Word Forms

• supervisorship noun
• presupervisor noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of supervisor¹

1425–75; late Middle English < Medieval Latin supervīsor, equivalent to supervid-, stem of supervidēre to supervise + -tor -tor, with dt > s

Example Sentences

Is Hank a clichéd creep or is Maggie a middling talent destroying her supervisor before he destroys her?

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A state of emergency is a precursor to enacting an eviction moratorium for households that have lost income due to the raids, an action supervisors are interested in pursuing.

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County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone pushed back on the notion that deer pose a fire hazard, telling the supervisor he believes the animals mitigate fire risks by eating vegetation.

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A majority of the supervisors expressed anger Tuesday at the 2020 change, saying the law was poorly crafted and left the county hemorrhaging billions.

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County supervisor, said at a board meeting that 80% of the report’s recommendations had been implemented.

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Related Words

• administrator 
• chief 
• chieftain 
• director 
• employer 
• executive 
• leader 
• owner 

When To Use

What does supervisor mean?

A supervisor is someone who oversees and provides direction for someone or something.More simply, a supervisor is someone who supervises. It’s most commonly used in the context of the workplace to refer to a type of manager who supervises other employees.The adjective supervisory describes things that involve supervision. A supervisor’s role can be described as supervisory.Supervisor can be used more specifically in the context of education to refer to a type of official or tutor or in the context of government to refer to a type of elected local official who serves on a board with other supervisors.Example: The key to being a good supervisor is to give your employees enough space to do their jobs, instead of constantly standing over their shoulders.