administrator

noun | \ əd-ˈmi-nə-ˌstrā-tər \ | ad·min·i·stra·tor

1. : a person appointed by a probate court to manage the distribution of the assets in the estate of a person who has died without leaving a valid will or leaving a will that does not name an executor able or willing to perform — see also administratrix, letters of administration at letter 2 — compare executor, personal representative

   — administrator ad litem
   : an administrator appointed to represent an estate that is a necessary party to a lawsuit

   — administrator cum testamento annexo
   : administrator with the will annexed in this entry

   — administrator de bonis non
   : an administrator appointed to administer the remaining assets in the estate when the preceding administrator or executor can or will no longer perform

   — administrator pendente lite
   : special administrator in this entry

   — administrator with the will annexed
   : an administrator appointed to administer an estate where the will names no executor or where the named executor is incapable of performing or unwilling to perform — called also administrator cum testamento annexo

   — ancillary administrator
   : a subordinate administrator appointed to administer the assets of an estate that are located in a different jurisdiction from the one where the deceased was domiciled and where the primary administration of the estate is taking place

   — foreign administrator
   : an administrator appointed in another state

   — general administrator
   : an administrator appointed to administer the entire estate of a deceased person in accordance with the laws of intestacy or in accordance with the will if there is one — compare special administrator in this entry

   — independent administrator
   : an administrator whose administration of the estate is entirely or mostly unsupervised by the probate court

   — public administrator
   : a public officer who administers the estates of deceased people when there is no one else willing or entitled to perform : an administrator appointed in some states for the sole purpose of being responsible for the assets in an estate pending settlement of a dispute or when there is doubt as to who should be appointed administrator

   — special administrator
   : an administrator appointed to administer only a designated part of the deceased person's estate : an administrator appointed for the sole purpose of being responsible for the assets in an estate usually in some emergency (as a will contest) — compare general administrator in this entry

2. : a person that administers; especially, often capitalized : the head of a government agency : the head of a government agency