executor

American  

[ig-zek-yuh-ter, ek-si-kyoo-ter] / ɪgˈzɛk jə tər, ˈɛk sɪˌkju tər /

noun

• executors
  plural

1. a person who executes, carries out, or performs some duty, job, assignment, artistic work, etc.

2. Law. a person named in a decedent's will to carry out the provisions of that will.

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executor British  

/ ɪɡˈzɛkjʊtə /

noun

1. law a person appointed by a testator to carry out the wishes expressed in his will

2. a person who executes

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• executorship
  noun
• preexecutor
  noun
• subexecutor
  noun
• executorial
  adjective
• unexecutorial
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• executors
  plural

Etymology

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

Compare meaning

How does executor compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• executor vs. executrix

Explanation

You're most likely to hear the word executor in an attorney's office, since it means a person who is legally responsible for ensuring that a will's directions are followed. The executor of a will is in charge of making sure that people listed as beneficiaries — in other words, the people who inherit money or property — receive what has been willed to them. When writing a will, most people will choose a responsible adult to be executor. The Latin root, executionem, means "an accomplishing" or "a carrying out."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

executor executors

Answer #2: Speaking of the executor, yes, it is generally your duty to notify the bank or other financial institutions of your mother-in-law’s death and provide the death certificate and other legal documents they require.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 19, 2026

“The new Whitney Houston Barbie honors a woman whose voice, grace, beauty, and spirit inspired generations around the world,” Pat Houston, the executor of Houston’s estate, said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2026

The executor of Anderson’s estate, a longtime family confidant named Les Daniels, disagreed.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 8, 2026

His executor disagreed, arguing that Anderson’s official home was a mansion in Vero Beach, Fla. The decadelong legal battle is just now reaching a crescendo, Ashlea Ebeling reports.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 8, 2026

And then, to the surprise of a lot of people, he became Poe’s literary executor, which meant he had access to all of Poe’s papers.

From "Book Scavenger" by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman

“AI factories are relatively new and evolving and require significant learning along the way. The beneficiaries will be the top executors, from infrastructure players to bare metal powered shell and neo-cloud operators,” he writes.

From Barron's ● Jun. 30, 2026

“Typically, executors have the authority to sell property without needing unanimous consent from all heirs.”

From MarketWatch ● May 21, 2026

According to his will, signed on 28 January 2013 and seen by the BBC, Martin made the Wadleys his executors and trustees, leaving his estate to them in the event of his death.

From BBC ● Feb. 18, 2026

Fratto said Epstein repeatedly named multiple people as alternate executors in his wills.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 20, 2026

They were given the new job, as custodians of our peace of mind, the focus of our understandable and rightful dread of being inferior; official censors, judges, and executors.

From "Fahrenheit 451" by Ray Bradbury