English

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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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.

Pronunciation

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Verb

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administer (third-person singular simple present administers, present participle administering, simple past and past participle administered)

  1. (transitive) To apportion out, distribute.
  2. (transitive) To manage or supervise the conduct, performance or execution of; to govern or regulate the parameters for the conduct, performance or execution of; to work in an administrative capacity.
    • 1733, [Alexander Pope], An Essay on Man. [], epistle 3, London: Printed for J[ohn] Wilford, [], →OCLC:
      For forms of government let fools contest: / Whate'er is best administered is best.
    • 2006, Rongxing Guo, Territorial Disputes and Resource Management: A Global Handbook[1], →ISBN, →OCLC, page 224:
      Located in the northwestern side of the Black Sea, Snake Island, or called ostriv Zmiyinyy in Ukrainian and Insula Serpilor in Romanian, is currently administered by Ukraine but claimed by Romania.
  3. (intransitive) To minister (to).
    administering to the sick
  4. (law) To settle, as the estate of one who dies without a will, or whose will fails of an executor.
  5. To give, as an oath.
  6. (transitive, medicine) To give (a drug, to a patient), be it orally or by any other means.
    We administered the medicine to our dog by mixing it in his food.
  7. (transitive, medicine) To cause (a patient, human or animal) to ingest (a drug), either by openly offering or through deceit.

Derived terms

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Translations

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Further reading

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Anagrams

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Latin

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Pronunciation

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Noun

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administer m (genitive administrī, feminine administra); second declension

  1. assistant, helper, supporter
  2. attendant
  3. priest, minister

Declension

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Second-declension noun (nominative singular in -er).

Case Singular Plural
Nominative administer administrī
Genitive administrī administrōrum
Dative administrō administrīs
Accusative administrum administrōs
Ablative administrō administrīs
Vocative administer administrī
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References

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  • administer”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  • administer”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
  • administer in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.