Administrative: Definition, Usage & Examples

Meaning 1：pertaining to management (administrative)

administrative 🔊

/ədˈmɪnɪstrətɪv/

adj.

Related to the work of organizing and running things, like in an office, school, or government.

Administrative work scene showing professional organizing files and digital calendar

pertaining to management 🔊

➕

/pərˈteɪnɪŋ tə ˈmænɪdʒmənt/

adj.

Describing tasks or duties that involve organizing, running, or supervising operations, typically in an institutional setting.

📁 Category：Countries & Government 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Latin 'administrare', meaning 'to manage', combining 'ad-' (to) and 'ministrare' (to serve).

💡 Mnemonic

Think of 'admin' as in 'administer' – it's all about managing and organizing tasks.

📖 Example

When applying for the scholarship, Linda faced many administrative hurdles, such as gathering numerous documents and waiting for approvals from several departments. 🔊 Linda encountered numerous management-related obstacles while applying for the scholarship, including document collection and multi-department approvals.

🔗 Collocations

administrative duties – tasks related to management and organization

administrative assistant – a person who helps with office management tasks

administrative law – laws governing government agencies and their procedures

🔄 Synonyms

managerial (adj.) – relating to the work of a manager

bureaucratic (adj.) – involving complex administrative procedures

executive (adj.) – concerned with executing or carrying out plans

🚫 Antonyms

non-administrative (adj.) – not related to management or organization

🌱 Derivatives

administrator (n.) – a person responsible for running an organization

administration (n.) – the process or activity of running an organization

📖 Cultural Story

Derived from Latin 'administratio', meaning management. In modern English, it is commonly used in bureaucratic contexts, such as government or corporate settings, to describe organizational tasks.