administration English · revision 1766

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1350|origins=la minister}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ədˌmɪn.ɪˈstɹeɪ.ʃən/ ''(UK)''; /ədˌmɪn.əˈstɹeɪ.ʃən/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|administracioun]],^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)^(Webster's Third 1961) [[bor|xno|administracioun]] or [[m|xno|amynistraciun]],^(MWU 2024) from [[la|administrātiō|t=aid, help; direction, management]],^(Etymonline)^(Klein 1966)^(MWU 2024) from [[m|la|administrāre|t=to help, assist; to manage, direct]],^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) from [[m|la|ad|t=to]] and [[m|la|ministrāre|t=to serve, attend]], from [[m|la|minister|t=servant, attendant]] (see [[minister]]).^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The giving or dispensing of something, such as a sacrament (c. 1350 in the Historical Thesaurus; mid-14th century in Etymonline).^(HTOED)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Beside dispensing, the word soon meant management of a business or property (c. 1374 in the OED, late 14th century in Etymonline),^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) and service in an office (1382, now obsolete in this general sense).^(OED 1989) The management of a dead person's estate is attested from the early 15th century.^(Etymonline)^(HTOED)^(OED 1989) The management of public affairs, government, dates from the 1680s,^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) and led to the executive part of government (1731),^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) for which British English later preferred ''government''.^(Etymonline) The meaning “a US president's period in office” is recorded by 1796, in the writings of George Washington.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) In The Federalist, Hamilton limited the word in its most precise sense to the executive details of government.^(Etymonline) Johnson (1755) defined it as conducting public affairs and dispensing the laws, as the active or executive part of government, and as those entrusted with public affairs.^(Johnson 1755) In medicine it means the giving of a remedy or drug (?a1425).^(HTOED)^(OED 1989) A late 20th-century British sense is the management of an insolvent company under a court order.^(SOED 2002)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1350 – dispensing a sacrament.^(HTOED)

+ * c. 1374 – management of a business.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1382 – service in an office (obsolete).^(OED 1989)

+ * early 15th century – management of a dead person's estate.^(Etymonline)

+ * ?a1425 – giving of medicine.^(HTOED)

+ * 1681 – management of public affairs.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1731 – the executive part of government.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1796 – a US president's period in office.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)

+ * late 20th century – management of an insolvent company.^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[management|alt=Management]] of the affairs of a business, institution or organization.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Collins 2023)

+ # The people who manage an institution or organization.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # The [[executive]] branch of a government; in the United States, the president and the officials under them, often capitalized.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Collins 2023)

+ # The [[term]] of office of an executive, such as a president.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(law)'' The management and disposal of a dead person's [[estate]] or a [[trust]].^(AHD)^(Black's Law 2004)^(SOED 2002)

+ # ''(law)'' The management of an [[insolvent]] company under a court order.^(SOED 2002)^(Wiktionary)

+ # The giving or applying of something, such as an [[oath]], a [[sacrament]] or a [[medicine]].^(AHD)^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[administrative]]

+ * [[administratively]]

+ * [[administrational]]

+ * [[self-administration]]

+ * [[antiadministration]]

+ * [[maladministration]]

+ * [[misadministration]]

+ * [[preadministration]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[administer]]

+ * [[administrator]]

+ * [[minister]]

+ * [[ministry]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}