superintendent

superintendent — noun

1. a person hired to oversee the work of other people in an organisation — for exam

1.nounB2
Definition

a person hired to oversee the work of other people in an organisation — for example, a school district or a large company — or to keep a building clean, safe, and in good repair.

Example

The superintendent of schools announced new safety rules for all high school sports teams.

superintendent of [organisation]

Kabir called the building superintendent because water was leaking through the ceiling of his apartment.

building superintendent

Common collocations
  • building superintendent
  • school superintendent
  • superintendent of schools
  • hired a superintendent
  • superintendent's office
Synonyms
  • manager

    more general; can refer to any level of authority, not necessarily the head of a whole site

  • director

    formal; often used for education and corporate heads

  • caretaker

    specifically for building maintenance; slightly less formal than 'superintendent'

  • custodian

    North American term for a building cleaner or janitor; lower status

Grammar Patterns

superintendent + of + [organisation/building]

Usage Note

In the US and Canada, 'superintendent' often refers to the head of a school district. In apartment buildings, the superintendent (or 'super') lives on-site and handles maintenance tasks. Distinguish from 'supervisor', which describes a lower-level manager who oversees a small team rather than an entire operation.

Common Mistakes

The superintendent of the apartment asked us to pay rent.
The building superintendent asked us to pay rent.
For a building caretaker, use 'building superintendent' or 'super' to be clear; 'apartment superintendent' is less common.
She was promoted to superintendent of the sales team.
She was promoted to supervisor of the sales team.
'Superintendent' is for an entire site or organisation, not a single team.

2. a police officer in the UK with a rank above chief inspector, typically responsi

2.nounC1
Definition

a police officer in the UK with a rank above chief inspector, typically responsible for managing a group of police stations or leading a major investigation.

Example

The superintendent arrived at the crime scene to take charge of the investigation.

superintendent takes charge

Darius was promoted to superintendent after serving as a chief inspector for seven years.

promoted to superintendent

Common collocations
  • police superintendent
  • promoted to superintendent
  • superintendent's rank
  • Superintendent Smith
Synonyms

Grammar Patterns

[name/rank] + superintendent

superintendent + of + [division/area]

Usage Note

This rank exists only in the UK and some Commonwealth police forces. Above superintendent is chief superintendent, and below is chief inspector. Distinguish from sense 1: a police superintendent is always a high-ranking officer, never a building caretaker.

Common Mistakes

The building superintendent called the police about the noise.' (when meaning a police rank)
The police superintendent called about the noise.
Add 'police' or 'police superintendent' to avoid confusion with the building caretaker sense.

Word family

  • superintend
    verbC2
  • superintendence
    nounC2
  • superintendency
    nounC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

These words all describe someone with authority or responsibility over others or a place. 'Superintendent' is the most formal and typically refers to the head of an entire site, institution, or school district — a person who oversees the big picture rather than day-to-day tasks. 'Manager' is the broadest term and works at any level, from a shift manager at a restaurant to a general manager of a hotel. 'Director' sits above most managers and is used for senior leadership in companies or school boards. 'Supervisor' is a lower-level role focused on watching over a small team's daily work. 'Caretaker' (or 'custodian' in US English) is specific to building maintenance and does not involve managing people. Compare: the school superintendent approved the new curriculum; the manager scheduled the teachers; the supervisor checked the classroom supplies; and the caretaker mopped the hallway.

superintendent ↗manager ↗director ↗supervisor ↗caretaker

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • superintendent of schools
  • building superintendent
  • police superintendent
  • chief superintendent
  • deputy superintendent

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

'Superintendent' comes from Latin 'superintendere', formed from 'super-' meaning 'over' and 'intendere' meaning 'to direct one's attention to'. In medieval Latin, a 'superintendens' was someone placed in charge of an institution. English borrowed the word through French in the 1500s, first for religious and military supervisors and later for any person overseeing an organisation or building.