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

However, last month the director of public prosecutions said "the case could no longer proceed to trial since the evidence no longer met the evidential test".

Read more on BBC

We're forced to look to inferior set-ups to make sure we can ensure that the director of football gets his position strengthened.

Read more on BBC

But now there is no Dave King as chairman and no Stewart Robertson as managing director, there is no Michael Beale helping on the coaching side and no Ross Wilson on player recruitment.

Read more on BBC

Fellow actors and directors who worked with Diane Keaton recalled her life and work, after the family of the American actor announced her death Saturday.

Read more on Barron's

“I think a lot of it just came from his body changing the way he was throwing,” said Dodgers director of pitching Rob Hill, who had closely admired Sasaki during his Japanese career.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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