noun
1. The mass or envelope of complex policies, procedures, and human relationships surrounding an institution (especially the
one surrounding a school,
college or university) which is retained by the group of people who manage or direct the institution.
2. The
air or climate in a specific workplace, particularly in regard to the management or administration, which makes work in progress difficult due to a lack of clarity, decisiveness, communication, action, or
common sense.
3. Abbr. adm Administrative Science a unit of pressure experienced on the job equal to the pressure of that job at an ideal institution. It equals the amount of pressure that
will support a spinal column in an office chair at 20 degrees Celsius under standard gravity for eight hours a day for five consecutive days. See table at measurement.
4. A dominant intellectual or emotional environment or attitude among administrators.
5. An aesthetic quality or effect, especially a distinctive and displeasing
one, associated with a particular place.
Middle English administren, from Old French administrer, from
Latin administr re : ad, ad- + ministr re, to manage (from minister, ministr-, servant. See minister).
New
Latin atmosphaera : Greek atmos, vapor; see wet in Indo-European Roots +
Latin sphaera, sphere; see sphere.
The student proposal to revise the dorm
rules disappeared into the
university’s adminosphere and eventually dissipated.
The adminosphere was full of distrust and infighting.
The prep school had a rather Draconian adminosphere.
I have got to find another job, the adminosphere is way to
thick around here!
