supervisor

What it means

1. managementA person with the official task of overseeing the work of a person or group, or of other operations and activities.

   Near-synonyms: superintendent, manager, boss, executive, overseer

   3 more examples

   Thus, today, even if the objective does seem "goalish," the supervisor assumes the problem inherent in trying to "accomplish" that goal will become clear to the librarian as the action plan evolves […]

   1985, Drexel Library Quarterly, volume 21, page 104

   The 1999 merger between Citibank (banking) and Travelers (insurance) created the model for megafinance and confirmed new challenges for supervisors.

   2001, Wendy Dobson, Gary Hufbauer, World Capital Markets, →ISBN, page 103

   I had learned a lot about supervising by observing other supervisors—the good things and the not-so-good things they did.

   2012, Kathryn M. Johnson, The Insider's Guide to Supervising Government Employees

   Synonyms: superintendent, manager, boss, executive, overseer

2. A person who monitors someone to make sure they comply with rules or other requirements set for them.

   Kashruth fraud in Brooklyn. Seems a goon squad of fake mashgichim or kosher supervisors have been making their way around the neighborhoods pulling surprise ‘inspections’ on different shops and restaurants, selling them fancy-looking certificates to put in the window […]

   2013, Thomas Pynchon, Bleeding Edge, Vintage, published 2014, page 24

3. USIn certain states, an elected member of the governing body for a county which is called the board of supervisors.

In a sentence

Near-synonyms: superintendent, manager, boss, executive, overseer

Where it comes from

1. Latinsupervīsor
2. Middle Englishsupervisor
3. Englishsupervisor

Attested since the 15th century C.E.; from Middle English supervisor, supervisour, supervysor, supervysour, from Latin supervīsor, from supervideō, in turn from super + videō. By surface analysis, supervise + -or.