president
Americannoun
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the highest executive officer of a modern republic, as the chief executive of the United States.
sworn in as the 56th president of Mexico.
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an officer appointed or elected to preside over an organized body of persons.
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the chief officer of a college, university, society, corporation, etc.
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a person who presides.
noun
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(often capital) the chief executive or head of state of a republic, esp of the US
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(in the US) the chief executive officer of a company, corporation, etc
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a person who presides over an assembly, meeting, etc
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the chief executive officer of certain establishments of higher education
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of president
First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English, from Latin praesident- (stem of praesidēns ), noun use of present participle of praesidēre “to preside over, sit in front of”; see preside, -ent
Explanation
The president is the person officially in charge — whether it’s of a republic, a company, a college, or a fan club. This is a word for a leader, like the President of the United States or the president of the National Football League Players' Union. Many organizations have presidents, and they're usually elected by members of that group. When it’s followed by a name, the title president gets a capital p, as in President Obama. Whether with a P or p, the job of a president is to preside in a formal or official capacity.
Vocabulary lists containing president
Mexico - Introductory
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Mexico - Middle School
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Mexico - High School
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Zuckerberg didn’t speak to the president until after the event had been canceled, a spokesman said.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 23, 2026
“The magic is not very complex,” said Abhinav Singh, Amazon’s vice president of operations for regions including Asia-Pacific and the Middle East.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 23, 2026
The last central bank chief to do so was Alan Greenspan in 1987, under president Ronald Reagan, who Warsh referenced in his speech as a role model.
From Barron's • May 22, 2026
The filings show City Controller Kenneth Mejia has a far smaller war chest than challenger Zach Sokoloff, who is on sabbatical from his role as a senior vice president at Hackman Capital Partners.
From Los Angeles Times • May 22, 2026
The president stared out at the Rose Garden.
From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
