administer

verb

ad·​min·​is·​ter əd-ˈmi-nə-stər How to pronounce administer (audio)
administered; administering əd-ˈmi-nə-st(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce administer (audio)

transitive verb

1
: to manage or supervise the execution, use, or conduct of
administer a trust fund
2
a
: to provide or apply : dispense
administer justice
administer punishment
b
: to give officially or as part of a ritual
administer a test
administer the last rites
c
: to give remedially
administer a dose of medicine

intransitive verb

1
: to perform the office of administrator
2
: to furnish a benefit : minister
administer to an ailing friend
3
: to manage affairs
administrable adjective
administrant noun

Examples of administer in a Sentence

As a cost-saving measure, voters have elected to have the two towns administered jointly. The UN personnel are there to help administer the territory. She's been hired to administer the fund. The assistant will administer the test. a priest to administer the sacraments
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The Palestinian Authority administers parts of the West Bank while its rival, Hamas, is still nominally in charge of Gaza, after driving Abbas' security forces out in a 2007 takeover. Freddie Clayton, NBC News, 12 Nov. 2024 Euthanasia is the act of a medical professional actually administering drugs in order to end a person's life. The Week, theweek, 10 Nov. 2024 The city would also have to conduct its own local elections; the OC Registrar of Voters usually administers the elections. Destiny Torres, Orange County Register, 6 Nov. 2024 So why is there reluctance about offering genetic testing to cancer patients before administering 5-FU and capecitabine? Ellen Matloff, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for administer 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English administren, aministren, borrowed from Anglo-French administrer, aministrer, borrowed from Latin administrāre "to assist, operate, perform, manage the affairs of," from ad- ad- + ministrāre "to wait on, serve, furnish" — more at minister entry 2

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of administer was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near administer

Cite this Entry

“Administer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/administer. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

administer

verb
ad·​min·​is·​ter əd-ˈmin-ə-stər How to pronounce administer (audio)
administered; administering -st(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce administer (audio)
1
: to direct the affairs of : manage
administer a government
2
: to give out as deserved
administer justice
3
: to give formally or ceremonially
administer the sacraments
4
: to give as treatment
administer a drug

Medical Definition

administer

transitive verb
ad·​min·​is·​ter əd-ˈmin-ə-stər How to pronounce administer (audio)
administered; administering -st(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce administer (audio)
: to give (as medicine) remedially
the antibiotic may be administered orally or by injection

Legal Definition

administer

verb
ad·​min·​is·​ter əd-ˈmi-nə-stər How to pronounce administer (audio)
administered; administering

transitive verb

1
: to manage the affairs of (as a government or agency)
2
a
: to direct or supervise the execution, use, or conduct of
administer a trust fund
b
: to settle (an estate) under a court appointment as administrator or executor
3
a
: to give ritually
administer an oath
b
: to give (as a narcotic) for the purpose of ingesting

intransitive verb

1
: to perform the office of an administrator or executor
2
: to manage or conduct affairs
administrable adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on administer

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