administrative
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of administrative
From the Latin word administrātīvus, dating back to 1725–35. See administrate, -ive
Explanation
If your job is administrative, you're pretty much limited to paperwork, check-writing, or maybe hiring and firing. Administrative means having to do with overseeing the "office-y" things. An artist doesn't have time for administrative details; they're too busy creating. A successful artist will hire a manager to handle the administrative aspects of his career, such as contacting galleries, setting up shows, and making sure they get paid for their work. People who handle administrative duties are often called bureaucrats, which is typically not a nice name to be called. Sometimes they're called "administrators." Teachers are there to teach; principals have to handle the administrative duties of running a school.
Vocabulary lists containing administrative
Obama's 2013 State of the Union
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Sincerely Sicily
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State and Local Governments, Sections 1–4
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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.
These texts include correspondence between a local leader and an Assyrian king from around 1800 BC, along with administrative records.
From Science Daily • May 5, 2026
Radclyffe's firm developed technology that automates office tasks and administrative work such as form filling, with the work completed far more quickly - and cheaply - than by humans.
From BBC • May 4, 2026
The legal action filed by the department is the first step in a potentially drawn out process, which could lead to a public hearing before an administrative law judge.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 4, 2026
It is time to ensure every American has access to a comprehensive, real-time, secure and private digital health record to personalize their care, improve their experience and reduce administrative costs.
From MarketWatch • May 4, 2026
Because of an administrative bungle, some soldiers were left to convalesce in the hospital.
From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan
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.
