director

plural directors · alternative archaic directer · alternative obsolete directour

1. One who directs; the person in charge of managing a department or directorate (e.g., director of engineering), project, or production (as in a show or film, e.g., film director).

   Francis Gurry is director of WIPO.

   2019 February 3, “UN Study: China, US, Japan Lead World AI Development”, in Voice of America, archived from the original on 07 Feb 2019

   1 more example

   The easiest way for Neera Tanden to win confirmation as Joe Biden’s budget director is for Democrats to take the Senate in January.

   2020 November 30, Burgess Everett, Caitlin Emma, Theodoric Meyer, “Joe Biden's 'radioactive' nominee”, in POLITICO, archived from the original on 02 Dec 2020

2. A member of a board of directors.

   [...] the confusion between directors who know nothing and managers who know everything [...].

   1 more example

   Being named to a board of a directors at an established company may seem out of reach — especially if you’re under 50. Or a woman. Or a minority. Or you haven’t made it to the C-suite (yet). […] Last year, S&P 500 boards named 428 new directors, according to Spencer Stuart’s Board Index. Of them, 40% were women, 17% were under 50, and only a third were active or retired CEOs.

   2019 March 11, Jeanne Sahadi, “Here’s how to get on a board of directors”, in CNN Business, archived from the original on 23 May 2025

3. A counselor, confessor, or spiritual guide.
4. That which directs or orientates something.

   Installed longer flow director; it now just covers the entire diameter of the 6-in. brine return nozzle, and is 4 in. high […]

   1971, United States. Office of Saline Water, Distillation Digest, volume 3, page 76

5. governmentA device that displays graphical information concerning the targets of a weapons system in real time.
6. chemistryThe common axis of symmetry of the molecules of a liquid crystal.
7. businessA component of a Yagi–Uda antenna.