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Origin and history of superintendent

superintendent(n.)

1550s, originally an ecclesiastical word meaning "bishop" or "minister who supervises churches within a district" (ultimately a loan-translation of Greek episkopos "overseer"), from Medieval Latin superintendentem (nominative superintendens), present participle of Late Latin superintendere "oversee," from Latin super "above" (see super-) + intendere "turn one's attention to, direct" (see intend).

Famously used by 16c. radical Protestants in place of bishop, which to them was tainted by Papacy.

[Martinists] studie to pull downe Bishopps, and set vp Superintendents, which is nothing else, but to raze out good Greeke, & enterline bad Latine. [Lyly, "Pappe with an Hatchet," 1589]

The general sense of "a person who has charge of some business" is recorded by 1580s. The meaning "janitor, custodian" is from c. 1935.

As an adjective meaning "superintending," from 1590s.

also from 1550s

Entries linking to superintendent

intend(v.)

c. 1300, entenden, "direct one's attention to, pay attention, give heed," from Old French entendre, intendre "to direct one's attention" (in Modern French principally "to hear"), from Latin intendere "turn one's attention, strain (in quest of something), be zealous," literally "stretch out, extend," from in- "toward" (from PIE root *en "in") + tendere "to stretch" (from PIE root *ten- "to stretch").

The sense of "have as a plan, have in mind or purpose" (late 14c.) was present in Latin. A Germanic word for this was ettle, from Old Norse ætla "to think, conjecture, propose," from Proto-Germanic *ahta "consideration, attention" (source also of Old English eaht, German acht). Related: Intended; intending.

super(n.)

colloquial shortening of various words in super-; by 1838 as a shortening of supernumerary (actor); by 1857 as superintendent (especially at first in reference to overseers of sheep ranches in Australia). By 1965 as a popular name for high-octane gasoline.