disciplinarian

[ dis-uh-pluh-nair-ee-uhn ]

noun

1. a person who enforces or advocates discipline:

   The teacher was a formidable disciplinarian.

adjective

1. disciplinary.

disciplinarian

/ ˌdɪsɪplɪˈnɛərɪən /

noun

1. a person who imposes or advocates discipline

adjective

1. a less common word for disciplinary

Word History and Origins

Origin of disciplinarian¹

First recorded in 1575–85; discipline + -arian

Example Sentences

Fulton Mackay’s strict disciplinarian Mr Mackay and Brian Wilde’s gentle Mr Barrowclough show prison life at its extremes, while ‘Fletch’ devotes his time to getting one over on the oppressive system to make his five-year sentence more bearable.

From BBC

Europe's top dog, the all-conquering disciplinarian Jose Mourinho?

From BBC

McAfee called Williamson, long known as the network’s internal talent disciplinarian, a “rat.”

From New York Times

Children, according to the old disciplinarian maxim, should be seen and not heard.

From New York Times

Casting himself as a teacher, he often was more bully than counselor, more screamer than lecturer, more heavy-handed disciplinarian than instructor.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• enforcer