Etymologically
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supervision

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 17 October 2026 at 13:07. This address is a permanent link to this version.
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Pronunciation

  • IPA: UK /ˌsuː.pəˈvɪʒ.ən/, US /ˌsuː.pɚˈvɪʒ.ən/[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Medieval Latin supervīsiō, from the past participle stem of supervideō (“to oversee, inspect”) (see supervise).[2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

General management, direction, oversight: 1640 in the OED, the 1630s in Etymonline;[4][2] Merriam-Webster gives the 15th century.[3]

Semantic evolution

The verbal noun supervising, in the same sense, is from the late 15th century.[2] Revision by a superior, reading through for correction, is from 1881,[4] and a university tutorial from 1902.[4] The supervision order, a court order placing a child or young person under supervision, is from 1933.[4]

Timeline

  • late 15th century – supervising.[2]
  • 1640 – oversight, management.[4]
  • 1881 – revision by a superior.[4]
  • 1902 – a tutorial.[4]
  • 1933 – supervision order.[4]

Modern meaning

Noun

  1. The act, process or function of supervising; oversight.
  2. (British universities) A tutorial.

References

  1. ^ Jones, Daniel (2011), Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary, 18th ed., ed. Peter Roach, Jane Setter and John Esling, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
  2. ^ a b c d Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  3. ^ a b Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press