director general

American  

noun

plural

directors general

1. the executive head of an organization or of a major subdivision, as a branch or agency, of government.

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director-general British  

noun

1. the head of a large organization such as the CBI or BBC

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Etymology

Origin of director general

First recorded in 1875–80

Example Sentences

The news of the cuts comes in advance of the arrival of a new BBC director general, former Google executive Matt Brittin, who will officially succeed the recently departed Tim Davie on 18 May.

From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026

“This trade measure helps pulls us back from the brink,” Axel Eggert, director general of the European Steel Association, said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026

Last month, outgoing director general Tim Davie said the BBC "profoundly regrets" what happened, adding that the team editing the ceremony had not heard the word and did not intentionally leave it in.

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026

But Paul Wyatt, director general for security policy at the UK defence ministry, said Europe and the United States needed each other.

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026

Perhaps Yi Young-hoon, the director general of the National Museum of Korea, said it best.

From "Shipwrecked!" by Martin W. Sandler