What is the Latin word for overseer?

The usual Latin words for “overseer” are custōs, cūrō, praeses; also praeficiō, exāctor, magister. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

English → Latin

“overseer” in Latin

custōsa guard, protector, watchman; a guardian, tutor; a jailer cūrōto arrange, see to, attend to, take care of, look after, ensure, tend to; to heal, cure; to govern, command, preside ove praesessitting before (usually to guard or take care of something or someone), presider; protector, guard, guardian, defender; praeficiōto place in command, put in charge exāctorexpeller; exactor, tax collector; enforcer magistermaster, chief, head, superior, director, president, leader, commander, conductor; teacher, instructor, educator of child rēctorguide, leader; driver (of a horse, an elephant, a wagon, etc.); director, ruler, master, governor cēnsorcensor; provincial magistrate with similar duties.; a critic, especially a severe one of morals and society aedituussacristan (originally the keeper of a temple); priest, minister

Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864

overseer

custos, curator (one that looks over, and takes care of anything): praeses, praefectus (one set over a thing): exactor (one that sees that anything is carefully made or done): magister, rector (a teacher, tutor): praefectus moribus, censor (inspector of public morals): superjumentarius (of the drivers of beasts of burden): aedituus (of a temple): the overseer of the roads, curator viarum: the overseer of public buildings and the police, aedilis (at Rome): overseer of the works, in building, exactor operis: to set an overseer over anything, custodem imponere alicui rei, rarely in re (over anyone): custodem apponere or imponere alicui (☞ never in aliquo; Vid: Bremi, Nep., Cim., 4, 1): to make one overseer over anything, constituere, praeficere aliquem curatorem alicui rei; also simply praeficere, praeponere aliquem alicui rei.

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for overseer?: The usual Latin words for “overseer” are custōs, cūrō, praeses; also praeficiō, exāctor, magister. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.