conductor

[ kuh n-duhk-ter ]
/ kənˈdʌk tər /

noun

a person who conducts; a leader, guide, director, or manager.
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.
a person who directs an orchestra or chorus, communicating to the performers by motions of a baton or the hands his or her interpretation of the music.
a substance, body, or device that readily conducts heat, electricity, sound, etc.: Copper is a good conductor of electricity.

Origin of conductor

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

OTHER WORDS FROM conductor

con·duc·to·ri·al [kon-duhk-tawr-ee-uh l, -tohr-] /ˌkɒn dʌkˈtɔr i əl, -ˈtoʊr-/, adjective con·duc·tor·ship, noun mul·ti·con·duc·tor, adjective pre·con·duc·tor, noun

Example sentences from the Web for conductor

British Dictionary definitions for conductor

conductor
/ (kənˈdʌktə) /

noun

an official on a bus who collects fares, checks tickets, etc
Also called (esp US): director a person who conducts an orchestra, choir, etc
a person who leads or guides
US and Canadian a railway official in charge of a train
a substance, body, or system that conducts electricity, heat, etc

Derived forms of conductor

conductorship, noun conductress (kənˈdʌktrɪs), fem n

Medical definitions for conductor

conductor
[ kən-dŭktər ]

n.

A substance or medium that conducts heat, light, sound, or especially an electric charge.
An instrument or probe having a groove along which a knife is passed in slitting open a sinus or fistula; a grooved director.

Scientific definitions for conductor

conductor
[ kən-dŭktər ]

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. Compare insulator. See also resistance superconductivity.

Cultural definitions for conductor

conductor

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.)