English language help desk

Administer or administrate?

Both administer and administrate mean "to manage or control the operation of something". Administer is the commonly used word. Administrate is a word formed by removing the ending -tion from the noun administra-tion and adding to it the verbal ending -ate.

Some dictionaries do not list administrate as a word. To  be on the safe side, avoid administrate and use administer instead.


Questions about English usage can be sent to:

Marina Pantcheva

Phone: 776 46 966

marina.pantcheva@uit.no