executive

American  

[ig-zek-yuh-tiv] / ɪgˈzɛk jə tɪv /

noun

executives plural

1. a person or group of persons having administrative or supervisory authority in an organization.

2. the person or persons in whom the supreme executive power of a government is vested.

3. the executive branch of a government.

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adjective

1. of, relating to, or suited for carrying out plans, duties, etc..

   executive ability.

2. pertaining to or charged with the execution of laws and policies or the administration of public affairs: executive committees.

   executive appointments;

   executive committees.

3. designed for, used by, or suitable for executives.

   an executive suite.

executive British  

/ ɪɡˈzɛkjʊtɪv /

noun

1. 1. a person or group responsible for the administration of a project, activity, or business

   2. ( as modifier )

      executive duties

      an executive position

2. 1. the branch of government responsible for carrying out laws, decrees, etc; administration

   2. any administration Compare judiciary legislature

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adjective

1. having the function or purpose of carrying plans, orders, laws, etc, into practical effect

2. of, relating to, or designed for an executive

   the executive suite

3. informal of the most expensive or exclusive type

   executive housing

   executive class

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• executiveness
  noun
• nonexecutive
  adjective
• proexecutive
  adjective
• semiexecutive
  adjective
• executively
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• executives
  plural

Etymology

Origin of executive

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Medieval Latin execūtīvus; equivalent to execute + -ive

Explanation

An executive is a powerful person who is responsible for making things run smoothly. If you become an executive, you might be in charge of an organization, a business, or even an entire country. The executive of a company has the best office and works on ways to make their business more successful. The Medieval Latin root of executive is exsequi, which means “carry out,” and so an executive carries out plans and actions. Executive is also an adjective that describes having the power to make decisions. The president of the United States is the executive branch of the government and is responsible for executing laws that will improve the country for its citizens.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

executive executives

Last week, Warner sued Amazon.com after the company’s entertainment division hired a senior HBO Max marketing executive who was still under contract.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026

Lombardi, 67, is a former longtime NFL executive who was a member of the Cleveland Browns’ front office during Belichick’s stint as the team’s head coach in the early 1990s.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 27, 2026

Chief executive Pascal Soriot said the company was "on track" to deliver its ambition of $80 billion in total revenue by 2030, despite an unexpected late-stage trial failure earlier this month.

From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026

Prof Michael Kramer, is executive director of the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy in Bonn, and a highly respected scientist at the University of Manchester.

From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026

“The executive authority is so wholly out of my sphere,” he observed, “and it is so delicate a thing for me to meddle in that, I avoid it as much as possible.”

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis

But some executives say the costs and limitations of AI now demand that more people be added; others want to hire people back following layoffs.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026

Other cost-cutting measures were also announced, such as deferring wage increases until 2035 and having senior executives forgo base salary increases in 2027 and 2028.

From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026

To borrow a favorite buzz word of executives across baseball, they’ll be opportunistic, as they look for ways to solidify the roster for the stretch run and into the playoffs.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 27, 2026

From private ranch vacations to concierge medicine, these are the ultraluxury perks top executives scored last year.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026

Here are some of the conclusions that I gleaned from conversations with McKinsey executives and from their reports: We Americans often fantasize that German and Japanese industries are super-efficient, exceeding American industries in productivity.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond

Related Words

• administration
• administrator
• boss
• chief
• commander
• director
• entrepreneur
• government
• leader
• management
• manager
• officer
• official
• supervisor