conductor

[kuhn-duhk-ter]

noun

1. a person who conducts; a leader, guide, director, or manager.

2. an employee on a bus, train, or other public conveyance, who is in charge of the conveyance and its passengers, collects fares or tickets, etc.

3. a person who directs an orchestra or chorus, communicating a specific interpretation of the music to the performers by motions of a baton or the hands

4. a substance, body, or device that readily conducts heat, electricity, sound, etc..

   Copper is a good conductor of electricity.

5. lightning rod.

conductor

/ kənˈdʌktə, kənˈdʌktrɪs /

noun

1. an official on a bus who collects fares, checks tickets, etc

2. Also called (esp US): director. a person who conducts an orchestra, choir, etc

3. a person who leads or guides

4. a railway official in charge of a train

5. a substance, body, or system that conducts electricity, heat, etc

6. See lightning conductor

conductor

1. A material or an object that conducts heat, electricity, light, or sound. Electrical conductors contain electric charges (usually electrons) that are relatively free to move through the material; a voltage applied across the conductor therefore creates an electric current. Insulators (electrical nonconductors) contain no charges that move when subject to a voltage.

2. Compare insulator See also resistance superconductivity

conductor

1. A material through which electric current (see also current) can pass. In general, metals are good conductors. Copper or aluminum is normally used to conduct electricity in commercial and household systems. (Compare insulator.)

Other Word Forms

• conductorship noun
• conductress noun
• conductorial adjective
• multiconductor adjective
• preconductor noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of conductor¹

First recorded in 1400–50; from Latin ( conduce, -tor ); replacing late Middle English cond(u)itour from Anglo-French, equivalent to Middle French conduiteur from Latin as above; conduit

Example Sentences

Phil appearance as conductor laureate this past year, energized audiences have begun the mantra of “bring him back.”

From Los Angeles Times

Glasgow is proud of its shipbuilding working-class heritage, but Currie’s father was a classical musician and choral conductor while his mother had done some acting, and he remembers seeing her in Noël Coward plays.

From Los Angeles Times

Not long afterwards, Martin invited the conductor to be part of Coldplay's 2016 Super Bowl half-time show, and their friendship was sealed.

From BBC

The letter said the company found two conductors on the ground under a Sylmar tower.

From Los Angeles Times

She has become a regular guest conductor and opened the Bowl season last summer.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• director 
• maestro 
• manager 
• master 
• supervisor