SUPERVISOR

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does supervisor mean? 

• SUPERVISOR (noun)
  The noun SUPERVISOR has 2 senses:

1. one who supervises or has charge and direction of

2. a program that controls the execution of other programs

  Familiarity information: SUPERVISOR used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SUPERVISOR (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

One who supervises or has charge and direction of

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Hypernyms ("supervisor" is a kind of...):

higher-up; superior; superordinate (one of greater rank or station or quality)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "supervisor"):

bell captain (the supervisor of bellboys in a hotel)

counsellor; counselor (someone who has supervisory duties at a summer camp)

den mother (someone who plays the role of a den mother)

director; theater director; theatre director (someone who supervises the actors and directs the action in the production of a show)

boss; chief; foreman; gaffer; honcho (a person who exercises control over workers)

forewoman (a woman in charge of a group of workers)

overseer; superintendent (a person who directs and manages an organization)

oyabun (a Japanese supervisor)

monitor; proctor (someone who supervises (an examination))

director of research; research director (a supervisor in a research center)

stage manager; stager (someone who supervises the physical aspects in the production of a show and who is in charge of the stage when the show is being performed)

system administrator (a person in charge of managing and maintaining a computer system of telecommunication system (as for a business or institution))

taskmaster (someone who imposes hard or continuous work)

trail boss (the person responsible for driving a herd of cattle)

Derivation:

supervise (keep tabs on; keep an eye on; keep under surveillance)

supervise (watch and direct)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A program that controls the execution of other programs

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

executive program; supervisor; supervisory program

Hypernyms ("supervisor" is a kind of...):

computer program; computer programme; program; programme ((computer science) a sequence of instructions that a computer can interpret and execute)

Meronyms (parts of "supervisor"):

executive routine; supervisory routine (a routine that coordinates the operation of subroutines)

Holonyms ("supervisor" is a part of...):

operating system; OS ((computer science) software that controls the execution of computer programs and may provide various services)

 Context examples 

Performing or possessing executive duties; acting as a supervisor or manager.

(Administration, Management, NCI Thesaurus)

As soon as I was mounted, holding on to Dogger's belt, the supervisor gave the word, and the party struck out at a bouncing trot on the road to Dr. Livesey's house.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

A person who edits material for publication; a person having managerial and sometimes policy-making responsibility for the editorial part of a publishing firm or of a newspaper, magazine, or other publication; the supervisor or conductor of a department of a newspaper, magazine, etc.

(Editor, NCI Thesaurus)

The supervisor stood up straight and stiff and told his story like a lesson; and you should have seen how the two gentlemen leaned forward and looked at each other, and forgot to smoke in their surprise and interest.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

In the meantime the supervisor rode on, as fast as he could, to Kitt's Hole; but his men had to dismount and grope down the dingle, leading, and sometimes supporting, their horses, and in continual fear of ambushes; so it was no great matter for surprise that when they got down to the Hole the lugger was already under way, though still close in.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)