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. Compare producer ( def 3 ).
4. the musical conductor of an orchestra, chorus, etc.
5. the manager or chief executive of certain schools, institutes, government bureaus, etc.

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

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

director

/ dɪˈrɛktə; daɪ- /

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. See producer
   the person responsible for the artistic and technical aspects of making a film or television programme Compare producer
5. See conductor
   music another word (esp US) for conductor

Derived Forms

• diˈrectorˌship, noun
• ˌdirecˈtorially, adverb
• ˌdirecˈtorial, adjective
• diˈrectress, noun:feminine

Other Words From

• di·rector·ship noun
• predi·rector noun
• self-di·rector noun
• subdi·rector noun
• subdi·rector·ship noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of director¹

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

Example Sentences

Rodríguez and Maykel González Vivero, director of Tremenda Nota, the Blade’s media partner in Cuba, are among those who the Cuban government has prevented from leaving the country.

From Washington Blade

Because of the large number of votes coming in by mail, “we may have to prepare for election week or even election month,” wrote Elaine Kamarck, director of the Center for Effective Public Management at the Brookings Institution.

From ProPublica

The OPM is being headed on an acting basis by its deputy director, Michael Rigas, who has been nominated to become the deputy director for management at the Office of Management and Budget.

From Washington Post

Terry Schilling, executive director of the American Principles Project, decried the decision by Facebook in a statement.

From Washington Blade

Both nonprofits are required only to disclose the salaries of directors, officers and key employees, said Marc Owens, a tax attorney with Loeb & Loeb.

From Washington Post

Toomey lives here with her husband, Mark, a managing director at Goldman Sachs, and their two daughters.

From The Daily Beast

Decades ago, the writer-director wrote an episode of the animated comedy that never was.

From The Daily Beast

This is a Hollywood director at the height of his powers creating original, wildly ambitious epics.

From The Daily Beast

This is not the first time the director has fallen for Russian propaganda.

From The Daily Beast

His surprise marriage to theater director Sophie Hunter may have broken hearts, but the squeals of delight were even louder.

From The Daily Beast

He then received the honour of knighthood but had retired from active service and become a director of his company.

From Project Gutenberg

The Briton, holding the documents in a pudgy hand, looked at the swift-gestured director with portentous solemnity.

From Project Gutenberg

Mr. Jump, a director on the mine, pointed out a balance-beam that Mr. Trevithick had put up thirty years before.

From Project Gutenberg

A director who performs a different service, serves as an attorney, for example, may receive compensation for it.

From Project Gutenberg

Suppose each director of a bank wished to obtain a loan of money from it.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

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