intendant

C2 Topic:Law & Government

US /ɪnˈtɛndənt/ UK /ɪnˈtendənt/ See IPA manual

Freq #47790

Meanings

1

noun
a public administrator or governor, especially an official in historical France, Spain, Portugal, or their colonies

The provincial intendant reported on roads, taxes, and uncultivated land to the crown.
2

noun
the administrative director of an opera house, theater, or similar cultural institution

The opera's intendant announced the program for the coming season.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a public administrator or... administrator superintendent governor

2 noun · the administrative director... director administratorgeneral manager

Word family

Forms intendants

Derived forms intendancyintendantship

Related forms intendenceadministration prefect

Etymology

Borrowed from French intendant, an administrative title, from the present participle of intendre, 'to direct or supervise,' ultimately from Latin intendere, 'to stretch toward, direct, or attend to.' The title became associated with royal provincial officials and later with managers of cultural institutions.

Topics

Law & Government Word Formation & Derivatives Register & Style

External links

# intendant

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ɪnˈtɛndənt/
**IPA (UK):** /ɪnˈtendənt/
**Frequency rank:** 47790

## Meanings
1. a public administrator or governor, especially an official in historical France, Spain, Portugal, or their colonies
2. the administrative director of an opera house, theater, or similar cultural institution

## Examples
- The provincial intendant reported on roads, taxes, and uncultivated land to the crown.
- The opera's intendant announced the program for the coming season.

## Synonyms
- administrator
- superintendent
- governor
- director

## Derived Forms
- intendancy
- intendantship

## Related Forms
- intendence
- administration
- prefect

## Etymology
Borrowed from French intendant, an administrative title, from the present participle of intendre, 'to direct or supervise,' ultimately from Latin intendere, 'to stretch toward, direct, or attend to.' The title became associated with royal provincial officials and later with managers of cultural institutions.

## Topics
- Law & Government
- Word Formation & Derivatives
- Register & Style

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