directorship

IPA/dəˈrektəʃɪp/
KK[dɚˈɛktɚʃˌɪp]IPA/dəˈrektərʃɪp/

directorship — noun

  • directorshipsingular
  • directorshipsplural

1. a role on a company's board of directors, where you help make the most important

1.nounB2
Definition

a role on a company's board of directors, where you help make the most important decisions for the business alongside other board members.

Example

Renata accepted a directorship at a large bank and attends board meetings twice a month.

directorship + at [organisation]

After leading the firm for twelve years, Otis stepped down from his directorship last spring.

Common collocations
  • accept a directorship
  • hold a directorship
  • resign from a directorship
  • offer someone a directorship
  • non-executive directorship
  • board directorship
Synonyms
  • board position

    more general — any role on a board, not specifically the role of director

  • chairmanship

    specifically the head of the board, a higher rank than a directorship

  • seat on the board

    emphasises the physical or metaphorical place rather than the formal position

Grammar Patterns

directorship + of/in/at [company]

Usage Note

Subject is usually a person or organisation that appoints someone. Frequently paired with verbs like 'hold', 'accept', 'resign from', or 'offer'. This sense refers specifically to a company's board — distinguish from sense 2, which covers leadership of any department or activity.

Common Mistakes

She got a directorship of the marketing team.
She got a directorship on the board of the marketing firm.
directorship in sense 1 refers to the board-level role in a company, not a middle-management position.

2. a role in which you are responsible for a department, project, or organised acti

2.nounB2
Definition

a role in which you are responsible for a department, project, or organised activity — for example, leading a research lab, running a festival, or managing a charity programme.

Example

Amihan was offered the directorship of the hospital's research department.

directorship + of [department]

Evelyn's directorship of the annual film festival meant she handled everything from budgets to performers.

Common collocations
  • directorship of
  • take on the directorship
  • directorship of a department
  • assume the directorship
Synonyms
  • leadership role

    less formal, broader — covers any kind of leading position, not specifically a directorship

  • management position

    more general, often implies day-to-day management rather than top-level direction

  • headship

    used especially in education (e.g., headship of a school department)

Grammar Patterns

directorship + of [department/organisation/activity]

Usage Note

Broader than sense 1 — the organisation does not have to be a for-profit company, and the role does not have to involve a board of directors. Common in non-profit, academic, artistic, and community contexts.

Common Mistakes

He holds a directorship at the local school.' (when meaning he runs a programme there)
He holds a directorship of the local school's evening programme.
be specific about what the directorship covers; the role is the position of being in charge, not just a membership.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

'Directorship' and 'board position' overlap significantly — both refer to being a member of a company's board of directors. However, 'directorship' specifically names the role of director, while 'board position' could be any board role (treasurer, secretary, etc.). 'Chairmanship' is the highest role on a board — the chair leads meetings and sets the agenda, whereas a director is one of several voting members. 'Presidency' in a corporate context usually refers to the chief executive or company president, a role that involves running operations day-to-day rather than overseeing the board's governance function. 'Seat on the board' is more informal and emphasises the membership aspect rather than the duties of the role. For example: 'She was offered a directorship on the board' (formal, role-focused) vs. 'She was offered a seat on the board' (informal, membership-focused).

board positionchairmanshippresidency ↗seat on the board

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • hold a directorship
  • resign from a directorship
  • take on a directorship
  • appoint someone to a directorship

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinAnglo-FrenchEnglish

Formed by adding the suffix '-ship' (which indicates a state, condition, or position) to 'director' (someone who directs or manages). 'Director' comes through Anglo-French and Latin 'dirigere', meaning 'to guide' or 'to set straight'. The word 'directorship' began appearing regularly in the 19th century as joint-stock companies and corporate boards became widespread in the English-speaking business world.