surveyor

[ser-vey-er]

noun

1. a person whose occupation is surveying. surveying.

2. an overseer or supervisor.

3. Chiefly British.,  a person who inspects something officially for the purpose of ascertaining condition, value, etc.

4. (formerly) a U.S. customs official responsible for ascertaining the quantity and value of imported merchandise.

5. (initial capital letter),  one of a series of space probes (1966–68) that analyzed lunar soil and obtained other scientific information after soft-landing on the moon.

surveyor

/ sɜːˈveɪə /

noun

1. a person whose occupation is to survey land or buildings See also quantity surveyor

2. a person concerned with the official inspection of something for purposes of measurement and valuation

3. a person who carries out surveys, esp of ships ( marine surveyor ) to determine seaworthiness, etc

4. a customs official

5. archaic,  a supervisor

Other Word Forms

• surveyorship noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of surveyor¹

1375–1425; late Middle English surveio ( u ) r < Anglo-French surveiour; Middle French surve ( i ) our, equivalent to surve ( i )- ( survey ) + -our -or ²

Example Sentences

"My family has had a working dairy farm on the site for generations and we wanted to do something else with the surrounding land," said the 60-year-old former commercial surveyor.

From BBC

She works alongside quantity surveyor Jack Little, who combined an apprenticeship with a degree at the University of South Wales and now "luckily" works five minutes from his house.

From BBC

Caring for Juno required Ms Davies to give up her career as a building surveyor, where she specialised in designing home adaptations for families with disabled children.

From BBC

In the late 19th century, a federal effort to send surveyors throughout the state to create reservations for California mission tribes began in San Diego but lost steam by the time it reached Los Angeles.

From Los Angeles Times

They hired incompetents as surveyors, so don’t stand on the street and tell me where I can and can’t put my trash can, because the boundaries are rigged and I’m having them rewritten.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• assessor 
• cartographer