director

American  

[dih-rek-ter, dahy-] / dɪˈrɛk tər, daɪ- /

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.

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director British  

/ 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

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Other Word Forms

• directorial adjective
• directorially adverb
• directorship noun
• directress noun
• predirector noun
• self-director noun
• subdirector noun
• subdirectorship noun

Etymology

Origin of director

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

Explanation

A director is a person who is in charge of something important. The advertising director for a large company is the head of the department that places ads in newspapers and on TV. Businesses have directors, and movies and plays also have directors, who oversee the way the actors deliver their lines and interpret the script. An orchestra's conductor can also be called a "musical director," and much like a film director, she guides the musicians and supervises their performance. The Latin root, dirigere, means "set straight."

Example Sentences

According to Bode, who played Elphaba’s sister Nessarose in Jon M. Chu’s musical duology, the airline’s director “was mortified” about what happened and was also “very apologetic” and “very understanding.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 27, 2026

While general managers have the right to choose musical directors independently, in practice they typically consult the orchestra to ensure that the musicians can work effectively with the director.

From BBC • Apr. 27, 2026

“The restrictions and messaging are a warning to prevent similar ‘de‑China-ing’ attempts from proliferating,” says Laila Khawaja, research director at GavekalTechnololgies.

From Barron's • Apr. 27, 2026

The Health Department’s medical director echoed their concerns.

From Salon • Apr. 27, 2026

And even though I’m related to the director, I don’t sing well enough to make the Fairview choir.

From "Shine!" by J.J. and Chris Grabenstein

Related Words

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