# supervisor

/ˈsupɝˌvaɪzɝ/ (US) · /sˈuːpəvˌaɪzɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/supervisor
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. work manager

noun · CEFR B2

a person who is in charge of a group of workers and makes sure they do their jobs well.

For teachers: an individual tasked with overseeing the daily operations and performance of a team or department.

- If you have a problem with your schedule, you should talk to your supervisor.
- The shift supervisor is responsible for ensuring that all safety protocols are followed and that production targets are met by the end of the day.

### 2. academic advisor

noun · CEFR C1 · Academic

a teacher or professor who helps a student with a large project or research paper.

For teachers: a faculty member who oversees a student's research, particularly for a master's thesis or doctoral dissertation.

- My supervisor gave me some very helpful feedback on the first chapter of my thesis.
- Candidates are encouraged to meet with their research supervisor weekly to discuss data collection and any theoretical challenges encountered during the study.

### 3. computing process

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a computer program that manages and watches other programs to make sure they keep running.

For teachers: a process or program responsible for managing the lifecycle and error-handling of other subordinate processes.

- The supervisor automatically restarts the application if it crashes.
- In a distributed system, the supervisor node monitors the health of worker nodes and redistributes tasks if a failure is detected.

### 4. government official

noun · CEFR C1 · American English · Formal

an elected official who helps run a local county government.

For teachers: a member of a local governing body, specifically a board of supervisors in certain US jurisdictions.

- The county supervisor voted against the new tax plan at the meeting.
- The Board of Supervisors convened to discuss the allocation of funds for the upcoming infrastructure project in the northern district.

## Examples

- My supervisor approved my request for a day off.
- The site supervisor conducts a safety briefing every morning before the construction crew starts their shift.
- While the department head manages the budget, your immediate supervisor is responsible for your daily performance reviews and professional development goals.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.