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executor

[ ig-zek-yuh-ter or for 1, ek-si-kyoo-ter ]
/ ɪgˈzɛk yə tər or for 1, ˈɛk sɪˌkyu tər /
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noun

a person who executes, carries out, or performs some duty, job, assignment, artistic work, etc.
Law. a person named in a decedent's will to carry out the provisions of that will.

RELATED WORDS

administrator, agent, executrix, enforcer

Nearby words

  1. executive order,
  2. executive privilege,
  3. executive secretary,
  4. executive session,
  5. executively,
  6. executory,
  7. executrix,
  8. exedra,
  9. exegesis,
  10. exegete

Origin of executor

1250–1300; Middle English executour < Latin execūtor, equivalent to execū(tus) (see execute) + -tor, -tor; replacing Middle English esecutor < Anglo-French essecutour < Latin, as above
Related forms
Can be confusedexecutor trustee trusty
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for executor

British Dictionary definitions for executor

executor

/ (ɪɡˈzɛkjʊtə) /

noun

law a person appointed by a testator to carry out the wishes expressed in his will
a person who executes
Derived Formsexecutorial, adjectiveexecutorship, noun

Word Origin for executor

C13: from Anglo-French executour, from Latin execūtor, from ex- 1 + sequi follow
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for executor

executor

n.

late 13c., from Anglo-French executour, from Latin executorem/exsecutorem, agent noun from exsequi/exsequi (see execution). Fem. form executrix is attested from late 14c.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper