superintendent

[soo-per-in-ten-duh nt, soo-prin-] /ˌsu pər ɪnˈtɛn dənt, ˌsu prɪn-/
noun
1.
a person who oversees or directs some work, enterprise, establishment, organization, district, etc.; supervisor.
2.
a person who is in charge of maintenance and repairs of an apartment house; custodian.
3.
a high-ranking police officer, especially a chief of police or an officer ranking next above an inspector.
adjective
Origin
1545-55; < Medieval Latin superintendent- (stem of superintendēns), present participle of superintendere to superintend; see -ent
Examples from the web for superintendent
  • Our co-op requires each tenant shareholder to leave a duplicate apartment key with the building superintendent.
  • We also had a letter from a school-system superintendent expressing excitement about our proposed demonstrations.
  • Breaking this code of silence might best begin with a strong new police superintendent.
  • For sure, this approach to running a protected area requires a park superintendent with both confidence and an open mind.
  • So far, not a single superintendent from those eight school boards has been available for comment.
  • The superintendent in our co-op also owns shares and occupies the unit related to those shares.
  • The scheme's former superintendent broke down as she gave evidence.
  • The superintendent of the monument, tipped off by radio, foolishly went out on the highway unarmed.
  • The factory superintendent nodded politely and led them into a large building with peeling gray stucco walls.
  • Cuomo's selection to become the agency's next superintendent.
British Dictionary definitions for superintendent

superintendent

/ˌsuːpərɪnˈtɛndənt; ˌsuːprɪn-/
noun
1.
a person who directs and manages an organization, office, etc
2.
(in Britain) a senior police officer higher in rank than an inspector but lower than a chief superintendent
3.
(in the US) the head of a police department
4.
(mainly US & Canadian) a caretaker, esp of a block of apartments
adjective
5.
of or relating to supervision; superintending
Word Origin
C16: from Church Latin superintendens overseeing
Word Origin and History for superintendent
n.

1550s, originally an ecclesiastical word meaning "bishop" or "minister who supervises churches within a district" (a loan-translation of Greek episkopos "overseer"), from Medieval Latin superintendentem (nominative superintendens), from present participle of Late Latin superintendere "oversee," from Latin super "above" (see super-) + intendere "turn one's attention, direct" (see intend). Famously used by 16c. radical Protestants in place of bishop, which was to them tainted by Papacy.

[Martinists] studie to pull downe Bishopps, and set vp Superintendents, which is nothing else, but to raze out good Greeke, & enterline bad Latine. [Lyly, "Pappe with an Hatchet," 1589]
The general sense of "a person who has charge of some business" is first recorded 1580s. Meaning "janitor, custodian" is from c.1935. Shortened form super first attested 1857, especially at first of overseers of sheep ranches in Australia.

Slang definitions & phrases for superintendent

superintendent

Related Terms

sidewalk superintendent