Third person singular of direct; guides, controls, or gives instructions for how something should be done or where to go.
From Latin 'directus,' past participle of 'dirigere' meaning 'to set straight, guide.' Combines 'dis-' (apart) and 'regere' (to rule, guide). Entered English via Old French in the 14th century, maintaining its core meaning of guidance and control across various contexts.
The word beautifully captures both physical and abstract guidance - from directing traffic to directing a movie. Film directors were originally called 'directors' because they literally directed the camera operators where to point their equipment, much like a conductor directs musicians!
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.