administering
UK[ədˈmɪnɪstərɪŋ]US[ədˈmɪnɪstərɪŋ]
v
to manage and organize the affairs of a company, government, or other organization.
v
to give or apply something, such as a drug, test, or justice.
Morpheme Breakdown
ad
minist(e)r
ing
ad
to, toward, near.
minist(e)r
ing
Etymology
the word 'administering' is built upon the latin verb 'administrare', which itself is a compound of 'ad-' (to) and 'ministrare' (to serve). the core root 'minister' derives from 'minus', meaning "less," implying a subordinate who serves. this concept evolved from a literal sense of serving or attending to someone's needs to the more abstract and authoritative sense of managing affairs or dispensing services. the '-ing' suffix is a germanic addition used to form the present participle, indicating the ongoing action of management or application. thus, the journey from a latin term for servitude to a modern english word for governance and application illustrates a shift from subordination to executive control.
Analysis
Structure: ad + minist(e)r + ing
- ad: latin origin, a prefix meaning "to, toward, near."
- minist(e)r: latin origin, from 'ministrare' meaning "to serve, manage, attend to."
- ing: old english origin, a suffix forming the present participle of verbs.
Examples
she is responsible for administering the daily operations of the charity.
the nurse will be administering the vaccine this afternoon.
the court is tasked with administering justice fairly and impartially.