French word

responsable

Pronunciation

IPA/ʁɛspɔ̃sabl/

Meaning

  • noun (m./f.)person in charge

Example

Parlez au responsable à l'accueil.

Talk to the person in charge at reception.

Illustration for responsable (person in charge)

Core concept

The accountable person at a service point who directs the next step when something goes wrong.

Similar words

chef: A person who gives instructions and makes decisions about a team's work.
directeur: The person overseeing the overall operation of an organization or department.
gérant: The person managing a store or business and its everyday activities.
patron: The person who holds final decision-making power in a shop or company.

Definition in French

Personne chargée d'un service, d'une tâche ou d'un dossier et à qui l'on s'adresse en cas de problème.

Word origin

French responsable developed from Latin responsabilis, meaning "answerable," a form built on respondere, "to answer."

Usage tips

  • With this noun, the usual preposition is de, as in responsable de l'accueil or responsable du dossier.

Other meanings

  • responsibleadjective
  • managernoun

Word lists with this word