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.

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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

“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

Commuting has become so popular as of late that it’s common to hear a dispatcher request that listeners “please leave the call if you are not actively commuting.”

From Slate • Jan. 23, 2026

Just before 5 p.m., a dispatcher said that “S1,” referring to the man who left the Ann Arbor-Saline Road address, was at an unknown parking lot.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 12, 2025

Mrs. Laurencin immediately called the school bus dispatcher and reserved six big yellow ones to take the Epiphany Boosters to Albany.

From "The View From Saturday" by E.L. Konigsburg

Related Words

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