invigilator
Americannoun
plural
invigilatorsExplanation
When you take a big exam like the SAT or the ACT, an invigilator supervises, making sure everyone keeps their eyes on their own papers and letting you know when your allotted time is up. Another word for an invigilator is a proctor, though it's mostly used in British English. Aspiring law school students who take the LSAT usually have a professional invigilator whose job it is to monitor the testing room and keep an eye on the clock. When you take a math test, your teacher likely plays the role of invigilator, gathering any stray smartphones and patrolling the rows of desks if she hears any whispering. The Latin root invigilare means "watch over."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
A stern notice from the chief invigilator outlines the rules and warns of Fifa disqualifying candidates.
From BBC • Dec. 17, 2024
"The role of an invigilator is to be there to try to prevent any problems and not to be causing them."
From BBC • May 28, 2024
"There were definitely some challenges and some exams were harder than the others, but it was nice to hear the invigilator say 'pens down'," she says.
From BBC • Aug. 16, 2023
The teenager's team manager had to train to be an invigilator in order for Sam to be able to sit his exam abroad and still compete.
From BBC • Aug. 7, 2023
And the Reverend Peters was the invigilator and he sat at a desk while I did the exam and he read a book called The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer and ate a sandwich.
From "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time" by Mark Haddon
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
