Administer
/ədˈmɪnɪstər/noun
To manage, direct, or provide something officially or systematically.
Did you know?In Latin, administrare meant “to manage” or literally “to serve toward,” from ad- (“to”) + ministrare (“to serve”), and ministrare is tied to minister, the original “servant” or “attendant.”
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*mei-
“to diminish, lessen, or be small”
Latin
Latin
minus
“lesser, smaller”
Latin
Latin
minister
“a servant, attendant, subordinate”
Latin
Latin
administrare
“to manage, direct, or conduct; literally “to serve toward””
Old French
Old French
administrer
“to administer, manage, or govern”
Middle English
English
administeren
“to manage, supply, or perform official duties”
Modern English
English
administer
“to manage, direct, or provide something officially or systematically”