surveyor

American  

[ser-vey-er] / sərˈveɪ ər /

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.

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surveyor British  

/ 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

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Other Word Forms

• surveyorship noun

Etymology

Origin of surveyor

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

California’s snowpack is supposed to reach its peak April 1, so today, state surveyors hold their final Sierra snow survey of the year.

From Los Angeles Times

Apart from the Walden adventure, Thoreau appeared as a public speaker and worked as a surveyor and in his father’s very successful pencil factory, for which he created some important innovations.

From Los Angeles Times

Luke is 34 and works as a chartered surveyor in London.

From BBC

One morning, we sat with Dunkin’ Donuts coffees and Penguin Classics editions of “The Scarlet Letter” on the steps of the Salem Custom House, where Nathaniel Hawthorne lived as the surveyor of Salem.

From The Wall Street Journal

I dig my shovel into the pile, haul it to where Zach’s tied up some surveyor’s tape.

From Literature

Related Words

• assessor
• cartographer