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:
An HGV service administrator from Dorset has become the first person to leave this year's Great British Bake Off.
From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026
According to the annual report prepared by the independent administrator of Kaiser’s system, the “most common” complaint the office heard last year was about the neutral arbitrator.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 28, 2026
Callao is backing the project as a tribute to the pope's ties with the city, where he served as the apostolic administrator of the diocese from 2020 to 2021.
From Barron's ● Sep. 26, 2026
Some large cargo ships have recently paid up to $5 million to pass through the Panama Canal, according to Ilya Espino de Marotta, who was recently appointed as canal administrator.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 24, 2026
Dr. Barnes was a good principal, a good administrator.
From "The Landry News" by Andrew Clements
Justice Goodwin Liu’s concurring opinion in that case urged local election administrators to be prepared to seek a court order blocking any attempted seizure.
From Slate ● Oct. 5, 2026
Speakers repeatedly attacked the college administrators for their handling of the case that has garnered nationwide attention.
From Barron's ● Oct. 2, 2026
Donors should only entrust their money to administrators and projects that break the depressing collegiate mold.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 30, 2026
The CIF could not tell administrators what to do.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 24, 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.
