director

director — noun

1. someone who belongs to the senior leadership team of a company or organization a

1.nounB1
Definition

someone who belongs to the senior leadership team of a company or organization and helps make the most important decisions about how it operates

Example

João was appointed as a director of the company's European operations in March.

director of + [region/department] — shows area of responsibility

The board of directors meets every quarter to review the company's financial performance.

board of directors — the collective group of directors

Common collocations
  • board of directors
  • managing director
  • finance director
  • executive director
  • appoint a director
  • serve as director
  • director of operations
Synonyms
  • manager

    a more hands-on, day-to-day role; a director is more senior and has broader strategic responsibility

  • executive

    a wider term that includes directors and other senior leaders in an organization

  • board member

    specifically a person elected to a company's board of directors

Antonyms
  • employee

    someone who works under the direction of management and does not make high-level decisions

Grammar Patterns

director of + [organization / department]

Usage Note

Commonly used in role titles such as 'finance director' or 'sales director.' The fixed phrase 'board of directors' refers to the group of directors elected to govern a company. In British English, 'director' is also used for senior academic administrators at some colleges.

Common Mistakes

He is one of director of the company.
He is one of the directors of the company.
'Director' is a countable noun and needs a determiner or plural form in this pattern.
The director called a shareholders meeting.' (when meaning the whole board).
The board of directors called a shareholders meeting.
In a company, major decisions are made by the board as a group, not by one director alone.

2. a person who manages a school for young children, such as a nursery or kindergar

2.nounB1
Definition

a person who manages a school for young children, such as a nursery or kindergarten, overseeing the staff and the educational programme

Example

The nursery director spoke with each parent about their child's progress this term.

Defne, the director of the Sunshine Kindergarten, planned a special end-of-year show.

Common collocations
  • nursery director
  • preschool director
  • kindergarten director
  • school director
Synonyms
  • principal

    used for primary and secondary schools, not preschools

  • head teacher

    a British term for the person in charge of a school

Usage Note

Distinguish from sense 1: this sense is used almost exclusively for preschools, nurseries, and kindergartens, not for primary or secondary schools. For older schools, 'principal' or 'head teacher' is the standard term.

Common Mistakes

The director of the primary school called a meeting.
The principal of the primary school called a meeting.
In most English-speaking countries, the head of a primary or secondary school is the 'principal', not the 'director'.

3. the person who guides the creative process of making a film, television show, or

3.nounA2
Definition

the person who guides the creative process of making a film, television show, or theatre production, deciding how the story is told on screen or stage and directing the actors in their performances

Example

The film director asked the actors to rehearse the final scene once more.

film director — specifying the medium

Camille has worked as a theatre director for over fifteen years in London.

Common collocations
  • film director
  • theatre director
  • assistant director
  • director's chair
  • director's cut
  • award-winning director
Synonyms
  • filmmaker

    a broader term that can include writers, producers, and directors; less specific than 'director'

  • auteur

    formal term; describes a director with a strong, recognisable personal style

Grammar Patterns

[medium] + director — e.g. film director, theatre director

Usage Note

Often combined with the medium: 'film director', 'theatre director', 'TV director', 'artistic director'. The director is distinct from the 'producer', who handles the business and organisational side of a production. In film credits, the director is usually credited with the phrase 'a film by...'.

Common Mistakes

The director of the film also wrote all the songs.
The director of the film also composed all the songs.
Use 'composer' or 'songwriter' for music creation; 'director' refers specifically to the visual and performance direction.

4. someone who stands in front of an orchestra or choir and directs how the music i

4.nounB1
Definition

someone who stands in front of an orchestra or choir and directs how the music is played, controlling the tempo and shaping the overall sound

Example

The orchestra director raised his baton and the musicians began to play.

Ari has been the choir director at the community centre for eight years.

choir director — specifying the type of musical group

Common collocations
  • choir director
  • music director
  • orchestra director
  • artistic director
  • chorus director
Synonyms
  • conductor

    the standard term for someone who leads an orchestra; more common than 'director' in classical music

  • bandleader

    used for smaller jazz, pop, or dance bands; less formal than 'director'

Grammar Patterns

[music group] + director — e.g. choir director, music director

Usage Note

For orchestras, 'conductor' is more common than 'director' in everyday use. 'Director' is used more often for choirs ('choir director') and for the person in charge of an entire music programme ('music director'). In popular music, 'bandleader' is used for smaller ensembles.

Common Mistakes

The director of the orchestra played the violin beautifully.
The conductor of the orchestra led the musicians beautifully.
The person who leads an orchestra with a baton is called a 'conductor' and usually does not play an instrument during the performance.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/3

In film and television, each role has a distinct focus. The director is in charge of the creative vision — guiding the actors' performances, choosing camera angles, and shaping how the story is told on screen. The producer handles the business side: raising money, hiring key staff, and making sure the project stays on schedule and within budget. The screenwriter writes the script or dialogue, which the director then interprets. The cinematographer controls the camera work and lighting, creating the visual look of the film. For example, a film might have an excellent script by the screenwriter and beautiful images from the cinematographer, but a weak director can still make the final result disappointing. The director is the central figure who brings all the pieces together.

director ↗producer ↗screenwriter ↗cinematographer

Common collocations

Nouns

  • deputy director
  • assistant director
  • former director
  • founding director

Phrases

  • serve as director
  • appoint a director
  • step down as director

Prepositions

  • director of

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Director comes from the Latin verb 'dirigere', meaning 'to guide, arrange, or set straight'. This passed into French as 'directeur', and then into English in the 1400s, first used for a person who guides or manages. The business meaning (a member of a company's governing board) appeared in the 1600s, while the film and theatre meaning emerged in the early 1900s as the motion picture industry developed.