Supervisor

/ˈsuːpərvaɪzər/

nounBeginnerCommonGeneral

Definitions

1

A person who manages or oversees an activity, person, or place.

/ˈsuːpərvaɪzər/

nounneutralBeginner
General

A person who oversees a person or activity

The team reported directly to the supervisor.

💡 Simply: Imagine you're building a LEGO castle. Your older sibling or parent helps you make sure it's done right. That person is like a supervisor, making sure the work gets done and is good.

👶 For kids: A supervisor is someone who helps make sure things are done the right way.

More Examples

2

Her supervisor praised her performance during the review.

3

The supervisor inspected the quality of the products.

How It's Used

Business

"The supervisor ensures that employees complete their tasks on time."

Construction

"The construction supervisor checks the progress of the building project daily."

Idioms & expressions

Under supervision

Being watched or guided by a supervisor.

"The new employee is working under the supervision of a senior team member."

From Middle English supervisour, from Old French superviseur, from Medieval Latin supervisor, from Latin supervidere ('to oversee').

The term 'supervisor' has been used since the 14th century, initially referring to someone who inspected or oversaw something. Its usage has evolved to be widely applied in management and the workplace.

Memory tip

Think of a super-seer, someone who can see everything happening.

supervisersupervizor

Usage

60%Spoken
40%Written