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:
The old railroad town has become a destination for retirees like Summers, 74, a former administrator at Cal State San Bernardino, and for commuters who don’t mind the roughly 25-mile drive to Tucson.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 1, 2026
Maryland’s state elections administrator said he ran a simulation earlier this year preparing for his own arrest.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2026
Marisa Welch, a 39-year-old library administrator, is particularly fond of Der Dutchman’s doughnuts.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 25, 2026
In Mauritius, IT administrator Loganaden Velvindron said he too was flat out since his team realised just how much software relies on PHP.
From BBC ● Oct. 23, 2026
His job, with the rank of sergeant, was to be an administrator for the school, help things run well, and write reports.
From "Code Talker: A Novel About the Navajo Marines of World War Two" by Joseph Bruchac
The retailer's directors are filing a notice of intention to appoint administrators, which if approved by the High Court, will give the business 10 days breathing space to find a rescue deal.
From BBC ● Oct. 29, 2026
Jackson eventually convinced his school administrators to let him lead a separate class on financial literacy and college preparedness, which he teaches today to high-school seniors.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 26, 2026
College administrators also wondered if it wouldn’t be better to have a women’s soccer team, given the demographics of the San Fernando Valley.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 18, 2026
Arts administrators from Long Beach and West Hollywood described local initiatives.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 15, 2026
During third and fourth periods, we have the group debate in the gym, and Ms. Steck invites some of the school administrators to watch and argue with us.
From "Ask the Passengers" by A.S. King
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
