administer

C1 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ədˈmɪn.ɪ.stɚ/ UK /ədˈmɪn.ɪ.stə/ See IPA manual

Freq #15129

Meanings

1

verb
To manage or be in charge of running something, such as an organization or system.

A small team administers the hospital's daily operations.
2

verb
To give or apply something, especially medicine or a test.

The nurse administered the medication exactly on schedule.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to manage or be in charge... manageadministrate

2 verb · to give or apply something,... dispense give

Word family

Forms administeredadministeringadministers

Derived forms administereradministerialadministrableadministresscoadministermaladministermisadministeroveradministerreadministerself-administer

Related forms administration administrative administrator

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

administer medication
to give a patient medicine as part of their care

Verb + noun

Simplified etymology

Administer entered English in the late Middle Ages and ultimately derives from Latin minister, “servant.” It is therefore related to minister and minstrel, words whose histories also grew from the idea of service.

Etymology

From Middle English administren, from Old French aminister, from Latin administrare (“to manage, execute”), from ad (“to”) + ministrare (“to attend, serve”), from minister (“servant”); see minister.

administren Middle English aminister Old French administrare Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# administer

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /ədˈmɪn.ɪ.stɚ/
**IPA (UK):** /ədˈmɪn.ɪ.stə/
**Frequency rank:** 15129

## Meanings
1. To manage or be in charge of running something, such as an organization or system.
2. To give or apply something, especially medicine or a test.

## Examples
- A small team administers the hospital's daily operations.
- The nurse administered the medication exactly on schedule.

## Derived Forms
- administerer
- administerial
- administrable
- administress
- coadminister
- maladminister
- misadminister
- overadminister
- readminister
- self-administer

## Related Forms
- administration
- administrative
- administrator

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: administren
- Root: aminister
- Root: administrare

## Etymology
From Middle English administren, from Old French aminister, from Latin administrare (“to manage, execute”), from ad (“to”) + ministrare (“to attend, serve”), from minister (“servant”); see minister.

## AI Etymology
Administer is from Middle English administren, from Old French aminister, from Latin administrare (“to manage, execute”), from ad (“to”) + ministrare (“to attend, serve”), from minister (“servant”); see minister. The analysis is mainly morphological: the modern verbal form is built from the named base and affix. Important recorded forms include administren (Middle English), aminister (Old French), and administrare (Latin). Current senses include to manage or be in charge of running something, such as an organization or system and to give or apply something, especially medicine or a test. The wider family includes derived forms such as administerer, administerial, administrable, administress, and coadminister and related words such as administration, administrative, and administrator.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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