supervisor

[ soo-per-vahy-zer ]

noun

1. a person who supervises workers or the work done by others; superintendent.
2. Education. an official responsible for assisting teachers in the preparation of syllabuses, in devising teaching methods, etc., in a department of instruction, especially in public schools.
3. (in some U.S. states) the chief elected administrative officer of a township, who is often also a member of the governing board of the county.

supervisor

/ ˈsuːpəˌvaɪzə /

noun

1. a person who manages or supervises
2. a foreman or forewoman
3. (in some British universities) a tutor supervising the work, esp research work, of a student
4. (in some US schools) an administrator running a department of teachers
5. (in some US states) the elected chief official of a township or other subdivision of a county
6. obsolete.
   a spectator

Derived Forms

• ˈsuperˌvisorship, noun

Other Words From

• super·visor·ship noun
• pre·super·visor noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of supervisor¹

1425–75; late Middle English < Medieval Latin supervīsor, equivalent to supervid-, stem of supervidēre to supervise + -tor -tor, with dt > s

Example Sentences

But it’s faced pushback as well, including rejection from a county supervisor who represents areas being floated for protection.

From Los Angeles Times

In such a rush, Maria Acuña, a former supervisor in Nevada, said she and some co-workers once narrowly avoided a car accident.

From New York Times

When a supervisor's own boss alternated between abusive and ethical leadership, the study found, it created additional uncertainty and eroded employees' confidence in the supervisor's capabilities.

From Science Daily

Her supervisor and mentor, Professor Louis Leakey, though, saw the value in her technique: “He wanted somebody whose mind wasn't messed up by the reductionist attitude of science to animals,” Dr Goodall explains.

From BBC

And this week, the agency’s top officials joined Inyo County supervisors and residents for a committee meeting and tour of the Lower Owens River Project, a major river revitalization effort.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• administrator
• chief
• chieftain
• director
• employer
• executive
• leader
• owner

More About Supervisor

What does supervisor mean?

A supervisor is someone who oversees and provides direction for someone or something.

More simply, a supervisor is someone who supervises. It’s most commonly used in the context of the workplace to refer to a type of manager who supervises other employees.

The adjective supervisory describes things that involve supervision. A supervisor’s role can be described as supervisory.

Supervisor can be used more specifically in the context of education to refer to a type of official or tutor or in the context of government to refer to a type of elected local official who serves on a board with other supervisors.

Example: The key to being a good supervisor is to give your employees enough space to do their jobs, instead of constantly standing over their shoulders.

Where does supervisor come from?

The first records of the word supervisor come from the 1400s. Its base word, supervise, ultimately comes from the Medieval Latin verb supervidēre, meaning “to oversee.” In fact, the word supervise quite literally means the same thing as oversee—the prefix super- means “over” or “above,” and the Latin verb vidēre means “to see” (the English word vision is based on the same root).

Sometimes, supervisors literally watch from above—like a supervisor supervising their employees from an office above the factory floor. In most cases, though, a supervisor simply closely oversees projects and the people working on them to make sure everything is proceeding as planned and that everyone is doing what they should be. A supervisor is often considered a boss, but supervisors almost always have bosses themselves. A supervisor is often a person who used to do the same job they are supervising.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to supervisor?

• supervise (verb)
• supervision (noun)
• supervisory (adjective)
• supervisorship (noun)

What are some synonyms for supervisor?

• manager
• superintendent

What are some words that share a root or word element with supervisor? 

 

• vision

 

What are some words that often get used in discussing supervisor?

 

• oversee
• manage
• employee
• worker
• project
• direction

How is supervisor used in real life?

Supervisor is most commonly used in the context of the workplace.

When my boss from my previous job calls to check on me 🥰She is honestly the best supervisor I’ve ever had. We need more Black women in leadership positions.

— KezWanja🇰🇪 (@KeziahI) June 9, 2020

"At Toyota, a worker's immediate supervisor does not have the power to hire and fire. The company will stand behind each worker as an employee, to protect him from a frivolous boss." https://t.co/acnHZCpG07

— Jason Yip (@jchyip) June 6, 2020

On Tuesday, Los Angeles County is expected to release the results of its 2019 homeless point-in-time count at the Board of Supervisors meeting.

Here are some fast facts to help you understand what you will see. https://t.co/j1uMKDsGWD

— Los Angeles Times (@latimes) June 4, 2019

 

 

Try using supervisor!

Which of the following things should a person NOT do if they’re a supervisor?

A. watch over
B. provide guidance
C. keep an eye on things
D. ignore the situation