director

/dəˈrektə(r)/ (bre, ipa) · /dəˈrektər/ (ame, ipa) · /də-ˈrek-tər dī-/ (ame, mw)

director — noun

  • directorsingular
  • directorsplural

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

1.名詞B1
釋義

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

例句

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

同義詞
  • 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

反義詞
  • employee

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

文法句型

director of + [organization / department]

用法筆記

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.

常見錯誤

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.名詞B1
釋義

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

例句

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.

同義詞
  • principal

    used for primary and secondary schools, not preschools

  • head teacher

    a British term for the person in charge of a school

用法筆記

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.

常見錯誤

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.名詞A2
釋義

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

例句

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.

同義詞
  • 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

文法句型

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

用法筆記

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...'.

常見錯誤

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.名詞B1
釋義

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

例句

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

同義詞
  • 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'

文法句型

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

用法筆記

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.

常見錯誤

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.