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

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

The International Testing Agency confirmed that 92% of participants were tested at least once in the six months before Milan-Cortina began, with director general Benjamin Cohen describing it as "our most extensive program ever implemented".

From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026

By the end of Tim Davie's tenure, after mistake after editorial mistake on his watch, the outgoing director general did appear ground down by the job.

From BBC • Mar. 23, 2026

But being director general is not a job for the faint-hearted.

From BBC • Mar. 23, 2026

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

From "Shipwrecked!" by Martin W. Sandler