superintendent

American  

[soo-per-in-ten-duhnt, soo-prin-] / ˌsu pər ɪnˈtɛn dənt, ˌsu prɪn- /

noun

1. a person who oversees or directs some work, enterprise, establishment, organization, district, etc.; supervisor.

2. a person who is in charge of maintenance and repairs of an apartment house; custodian.

3. a high-ranking police officer, especially a chief of police or an officer ranking next above an inspector.

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adjective

1. superintending.

superintendent British  

/ ˌsuːpərɪnˈtɛndənt, ˌsuːprɪn- /

noun

1. a person who directs and manages an organization, office, etc

2. (in Britain) a senior police officer higher in rank than an inspector but lower than a chief superintendent

3. (in the US) the head of a police department

4. a caretaker, esp of a block of apartments

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adjective

1. of or relating to supervision; superintending

Etymology

Origin of superintendent

1545–55; < Medieval Latin superintendent- (stem of superintendēns ), present participle of superintendere to superintend; -ent

Example Sentences

Pressed by parents to act, school superintendents have come down on opposing sides.

From The Wall Street Journal

His mother, Adaina Brown, a public school assistant superintendent in the Los Angeles area, said she called it a “gamble,” but it was one that paid off.

From The Wall Street Journal

"These were really quite difficult, challenging conditions to have to be working in and to try and gather evidence," the superintendent explains.

From BBC

The superintendent of Kentfield School District, about 15 miles north of San Francisco, sent an email to families describing the victim as “a cherished part of our community,” the outlet reported.

From Los Angeles Times

Colabianchi, the theater’s superintendent, said he hopes Venezi can meet the orchestra and patch up their differences before she takes up her baton in the fall.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• administrator
• chief
• controller
• curator
• custodian
• director
• inspector
• manager
• supervisor