trustee

[ truh-stee ]

noun

1. a person, usually one of a body of persons, appointed to administer the affairs of a company, institution, etc.
2. a person who holds the title to property for the benefit of another.
3. (in New England) a garnishee.
4. a trusty.

verb (used with object)

, trust·eed, trust·ee·ing.

1. to place in the hands of a trustee or trustees.
2. (in New England) to garnish.

trustee

/ trʌˈstiː /

noun

1. a person to whom the legal title to property is entrusted to hold or use for another's benefit
2. a member of a board that manages the affairs and administers the funds of an institution or organization

Word History and Origins

Origin of trustee¹

First recorded in 1640–50; trust + -ee

Example Sentences

The relief money was being used for security and to respond to medical records requests until Ellwood City Medical Center could be sold, a bankruptcy trustee said in a December 2020 court filing.

From ProPublica

I’ve been on the board of trustees at the Princeton Institute for Advanced Study, which is this amazing place for basically very pure academic research in a number of fields.

From Freakonomics

In November, San Diego voters passed Measure D, which provides two clear paths to remove a school board trustee from office.

From Voice of San Diego

Natwar Gandhi, a trustee who threatened earlier this year to leave his position unless the university took steps to upend systemic racism, said recent announcements from the administration made him reconsider.

From Washington Post

We’re referring in-house to Measure D as the “Andy Keatts Measure” because it came in response to his reporting about a school trustee.

From Voice of San Diego

“A heartfelt ‘thank you for your service,’ is no longer nearly enough,” said Martin Edelman, trustee of the Fallen Heroes Fund.

From The Daily Beast

He served for years as trustee of the Art Gallery of Ontario and as chairman of the Stratford Shakespeare Festival.

From The Daily Beast

Next, however, trustee Malt notes that “the Romneys claimed a deduction for $2.25 million of those charitable contributions.”

From The Daily Beast

On April 10th, Washington debated a new report by Medicare trustee Chuck Blahous.

From The Daily Beast

Manhattan Federal Judge Jed Rakoff ruled that the trustee needed to prove the Mets owners had demonstrated “willful blindness.”

From The Daily Beast

Whatever property on which a levy could have been made by judicial process against the bankrupt passes to the trustee.

From Project Gutenberg

If a trustee accepts he must give a bond with sureties for the faithful performance of his duties.

From Project Gutenberg

The federal Bankruptcy Act prescribes what property passes to the trustee and also what is exempt.

From Project Gutenberg

Then you are a very bad trustee, thus to misuse the foot-way, and interrupt passengers.

From Project Gutenberg

A different rule applies to a naked trustee who holds the title to the stock without any real interest in it.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• agent
• custodian
• executor

More About Trustee

What does trustee mean?

A trustee is a person who is appointed to administer the affairs of a company or other organization. Often such an organization will have a group, or a board, of trustees.

A trustee can also be a person who holds the title to a property for someone else. If you inherit millions of dollars before you reach adulthood, the will might state that an adult manages that money for you until you become an adult. That person would be the trustee of your money.

Example: The board of trustees advised us against running this ad during primetime.

Where does trustee come from?

The first records of the term trustee come from around 1640. It combines the term trust, meaning “to rely upon someone or something,” and the suffix –ee, which changes a verb into the doer of the verb. A trustee is the person who is relied upon for something.

You will occasionally see trustee used as a verb. To trustee someone is to designate them as an administrator, that is, to make them a trustee.

Did you know … ?

What are some synonyms for trustee?

• agent
• custodian
• executor
• fiduciary
• keeper

What are some words that share a root or word element with trustee? 

• trust
• trusteeship

What are some words that often get used in discussing trustee?

• board
• company
• estate
• group
• property

What are some words trustee may be commonly confused with?

• trusty

How is trustee used in real life?

Trustee is most often used in discussions about business.

My college freshman son Lezine is home for spring break. He got accepted at 13 schools on his own merit.

Lori Loughlin’s daughter was spending spring break in the Bahamas on the yacht of the billionaire chair of USC’s trustee board.#ThursdayThoughts#CollegeCheatingScandal

— Bishop Talbert Swan (@TalbertSwan) March 14, 2019

I would like to thank the Board of Trustees & everyone else involved for listening to the concerns of the current & former student body & implementing changes that will create a more welcoming environment for the entire tiger community. #ClemsonUniversityHonorsCollege

— Deshaun Watson (@deshaunwatson) June 13, 2020

UPDATE: Member of Louisville board of trustees tells @AP that Bobby Petrino has accepted offer to be Cardinals' next head football coach.

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 9, 2014

 

 

Try using trustee!

Is trustee used correctly in the following sentence?

Luann ran for a seat on her condo’s board of trustees because she wanted to help manage the condo’s business.