director

[dih-rek-ter, dahy-]

noun

1. a person or thing that directs.

   Synonyms: boss, chief, administrator, leader, manager, head, supervisor

2. one of a group of persons chosen to control or govern the affairs of a company or corporation.

   a board of directors.

   Synonyms: boss, chief, administrator, leader, manager, head, supervisor

3. the person responsible for the interpretive aspects of a stage, film, or television production; the person who supervises the integration of all the elements, as acting, staging, and lighting, required to realize the writer's conception.

4. the musical conductor of an orchestra, chorus, etc.

5. the manager or chief executive of certain schools, institutes, government bureaus, etc.

   Synonyms: boss, chief, administrator, leader, manager, head, supervisor

6. Military.,  a mechanical or electronic device that continuously calculates firing data for use against an airplane or other moving target.

director

/ daɪ-, dɪˈrɛktə /

noun

1. a person or thing that directs, controls, or regulates

2. a member of the governing board of a business concern who may or may not have an executive function

3. a person who directs the affairs of an institution, trust, educational programme, etc

4. the person responsible for the artistic and technical aspects of making a film or television programme Compare producer

5. music another word (esp US) for conductor

Other Word Forms

• directress noun
• directorial adjective
• directorship noun
• directorially adverb
• predirector noun
• self-director noun
• subdirector noun
• subdirectorship noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of director¹

From Late Latin, dating back to 1470–80; direct, -tor

Example Sentences

"Steven and his backroom staff have ensured that the club is undoubtedly in a better place today than it was three-and-a-half years ago," said then Rangers sporting director Ross Wilson.

Read more on BBC

“Interviews reveal little evidence that the ongoing federal government shutdown has moved consumers’ views of the economy thus far,” said survey director Joanne Hsu.

Read more on MarketWatch

Dr. Tom Frieden is president and CEO of Resolve to Save Lives and former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

“Pocketbook issues like high prices and weakening job prospects remain at the forefront of consumers’ minds,” the survey’s director, Joanne Hsu, said.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

“If nobody increases their output, prices will stay really high. If one person raises their output, it could crash the prices for everybody,” said Ryan Luther, director of energy transition research at data firm Enverus.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• administrator 
• chief 
• executive 
• head 
• leader 
• organizer 
• player 
• principal 
• producer 
• supervisor