supervisor

noun

su·​per·​vi·​sor ˈsü-pər-ˌvī-zər 

: one that supervises

especially : an administrative officer in charge of a business, government, or school unit or operation

supervisory

ˌsü-pər-ˈvī-zə-rē 

-ˈvīz-rē

adjective

Synonyms

• administrant
• administrator
• archon
• director
• exec
• executive
• manager
• superintendent

Examples of supervisor in a Sentence

The supervisor fired him after he showed up at work drunk.

If you have a problem, go to your supervisor.

Recent Examples on the Web

With that ban set to expire at the end of January, supervisors were forced to make a decision on the recurring problem. —Jake Goodrick, Sacramento Bee, 30 Jan. 2025

Supervisor Nate Miley questioned the efficacy of creating the new committee and its potential for overstepping supervisors and the county’s agencies. —Chase Hunter, The Mercury News, 29 Jan. 2025

Hood, then 35, Wilson, then 46, and Fullerton, then 27, were on post in the unit, while Henry was their supervisor. —Graham Rayman, New York Daily News, 29 Jan. 2025

Cotton farming is a labor-intensive process, requiring workers to toil in the scorching sun for up to 10 hours a day under the watchful eyes of field supervisors. —Photovogue, Vogue, 29 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Medieval Latin, from supervidēre

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

supervisor

noun

su·​per·​vi·​sor ˈsü-pər-ˌvī-zər 

: a person who supervises

especially : an officer in charge of a unit or an operation of a business, government, or school

supervisory

ˌsü-pər-ˈvīz-(ə-)rē 

adjective

Legal Definition

supervisor

noun

su·​per·​vi·​sor ˈsü-pər-ˌvī-zər 

: one that directs or oversees a person, group, department, organization, or operation

specifically : the popularly elected chief administrative official of a township or other subdivision in some states of the U.S.

supervisorial

ˌsü-pər-ˌvī-ˈzōr-ē-əl

adjective

supervisory

ˌsü-pər-ˈvī-zə-rē 

adjective