In Britain, a superintendent is a senior police officer of the rank above an inspector. In the United States, a superintendent is the head of a police department.
He was stopped at the airport by an assistant superintendent of police.
...Detective Superintendent Kirby.
2. countable noun
A superintendent is a person who is responsible for a particular thing or the work done in a particular department.
He became superintendent of the bank's East African branches. [+ of]
The Superintendent of Public Works gives orders for all watercourses to be inspected.
Synonyms: supervisor, director, manager, chief More Synonyms of superintendent
3. countable noun
A superintendent is a person whose job is to look after a large building such as a school or a block of flats and deal with small repairs to it.
[US]regional note: in BRIT, use caretaker
More Synonyms of superintendent
superintendent in British English
(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 and 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
superintendent in American English
(ˌsupərɪnˈtɛndənt)
noun
1.
a person in charge of a department, institution, etc.; director; supervisor
2.
a person responsible for the maintenance of a building; custodian
adjective
3.
that superintends
Word origin
< LL(Ec) superintendens, prp. of superintendere, to superintend
Examples of 'superintendent' in a sentence
superintendent
The police superintendent gave evidence on oath in support of the application.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
He was a police superintendent and she was a teacher.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Money is also being taken to fund a scheme to recruit direct entrants to policing at superintendent rank.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
One of those now at home is a high-ranking chief superintendent.
The Sun (2006)
I write as a retired police chief superintendent.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Many people are wondering who is going to become a district superintendent, who is going to which church.
Christianity Today (2000)
A detective chief superintendent in a tiny borough force such as Hastings?
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
No way some detective superintendent from Scotland Yard would be flying all the way here about that.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
The former detective chief superintendent said that he regarded the approach as'totally illegal and unconstitutional' and carried on with the interview.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
A new power would allow a police superintendent to declare certain places as a'no go' area for a limited period.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
All related terms of 'superintendent'
chief superintendent
an officer of senior rank in a British police force or other similarly organized force
marine superintendent
a person who is responsible for the maintenance of the vessels of a shipping line, for their docking and the handling of cargo , and for the hiring of personnel for deck departments
school superintendent
an official whose job is to oversee school administration within a district
detective superintendent
a police officer who investigates crime and who ranks above a detective chief inspector but below a detective chief superintendent
sidewalk superintendent
an onlooker at a construction or demolition site
detective chief superintendent
a police officer who investigates crime and who ranks above a detective superintendent but below an assistant chief constable
Chinese translation of 'superintendent'
superintendent
(suːpərɪnˈtɛndənt)
n(c)
(Police)
(Brit) 警督 (jǐngdū)
(US) 警长(長) (jǐngzhǎng)
[of place, activity]主管人 (zhǔguǎnrén)
(US)[of building, school]看门(門)人 (kānménrén)
英 = caretaker
Supt
or (esp US) Supt. (Police)
abbr
(= superintendent) 警长(長) (jǐngzhǎng)
Nearby words of
superintendent
superb
superficial
superfood
superintendent
superior
superior to
superiority
Related terms of
superintendent
Supt
1 (noun)
Definition
a person who directs and manages an organization or office
superintendent of the bank's East African branches
Synonyms
supervisor
a full-time job as a supervisor at a factory
director
He is the director of the unit.
manager
a retired bank manager
chief
The new leader is the deputy chief of the territory's defence force.
governor
the governor of the province in the late 1970s
inspector
The mill was finally closed down by safety inspectors.
administrator
He worked for 34 years as an administrator with the company.
conductor
controller
overseer
Officials agreed to appoint a federal overseer to run the agency's daily business.
2 (noun)
(US)
a building superintendent
Synonyms
warden
He was a warden at the local parish church.
caretaker
The caretaker sleeps in the building all night.
curator
keeper
the keeper of the library at the V&A
porter (British)
a porter at the block of flats
custodian
the custodian of the holy shrine in Mecca
watchman
He worked for ten years as a watchman in a factory.
janitor
My mother was the janitor in the town school.
concierge
Additional synonyms
in the sense of administrator
Definition
a person who administers an organization or estate
He worked for 34 years as an administrator with the company.
Synonyms
manager,
head,
official,
director,
officer,
executive,
minister,
boss (informal),
agent,
governor,
controller,
supervisor,
bureaucrat,
superintendent,
gaffer (informal, British),
organizer,
mandarin,
functionary,
overseer
in the sense of caretaker
Definition
a person employed to look after a place or thing
The caretaker sleeps in the building all night.
Synonyms
warden,
keeper,
porter (British),
superintendent (US),
curator,
custodian,
watchman,
janitor,
concierge
in the sense of chief
Definition
most important
The new leader is the deputy chief of the territory's defence force.
Synonyms
head,
leader,
director,
manager,
lord,
boss (informal),
captain,
master,
governor,
commander,
principal,
superior,
ruler,
superintendent,
chieftain,
ringleader,
suzerain,
ariki (New Zealand),
sherang (Australian, New Zealand)
Synonyms of 'superintendent'
superintendent
Explore 'superintendent' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of custodian
Definition
the person in charge of a public building
the custodian of the holy shrine in Mecca
Synonyms
keeper,
guardian,
superintendent (US),
warden,
caretaker,
curator,
protector,
warder,
watchman,
overseer,
watchdog
in the sense of director
Definition
a member of the governing board of a business, trust, etc.
He is the director of the unit.
Synonyms
controller,
head,
leader,
manager,
chief,
executive,
chairperson,
boss (informal),
producer,
governor,
principal,
administrator,
supervisor,
organizer,
helmer,
sherang (Australian, New Zealand)
in the sense of governor
Definition
the chief political administrator of a region, such as a US state or a colony
the governor of the province in the late 1970s
Synonyms
leader,
administrator,
ruler,
head,
minister,
director,
manager,
chief,
officer,
executive,
boss (informal),
commander,
controller,
supervisor,
superintendent,
mandarin,
comptroller,
functionary,
overseer
in the sense of inspector
Definition
an official who checks that things or places meet certain regulations and standards
The mill was finally closed down by safety inspectors.
Synonyms
examiner,
investigator,
supervisor,
monitor,
superintendent,
auditor,
censor,
surveyor,
scrutinizer,
checker,
overseer,
scrutineer
in the sense of janitor
Definition
the caretaker of a school or other building
My mother was the janitor in the town school.
Synonyms
caretaker,
porter (British),
custodian,
concierge,
doorkeeper
in the sense of keeper
Definition
a person in charge of a museum, collection, or section of a museum
the keeper of the library at the V&A
Synonyms
curator,
guardian,
steward,
superintendent (US),
attendant,
caretaker,
overseer,
preserver
in the sense of manager
Definition
a person who manages an organization or business
a retired bank manager
Synonyms
supervisor,
head,
director,
executive,
boss (informal),
governor,
administrator,
conductor,
controller,
superintendent,
gaffer (informal, British),
proprietor,
organizer,
comptroller,
overseer,
sherang (Australian, New Zealand)
in the sense of overseer
Officials agreed to appoint a federal overseer to run the agency's daily business.
Synonyms
supervisor,
manager,
chief,
boss (informal),
master,
inspector,
superior,
administrator,
steward,
superintendent,
gaffer (informal, British),
or woman or person">foreman or woman or person,
super (informal)
in the sense of porter
Definition
a doorman or gatekeeper of a building
a porter at the block of flats
Synonyms
doorman,
caretaker,
janitor,
concierge,
gatekeeper
in the sense of watchman
Definition
a man employed to guard buildings or property
He worked for ten years as a watchman in a factory.