trustee
Americannoun
-
a person, usually one of a body of persons, appointed to administer the affairs of a company, institution, etc.
-
a person who holds the title to property for the benefit of another.
-
(in New England) a garnishee.
-
a trusty.
verb (used with object)
-
to place in the hands of a trustee or trustees.
-
(in New England) to garnish.
noun
-
a person to whom the legal title to property is entrusted to hold or use for another's benefit
-
a member of a board that manages the affairs and administers the funds of an institution or organization
Usage
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.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of trustee
Explanation
A trustee is someone who is responsible for another person's money or property. Trustees sometimes oversee investment accounts or make sure a property is being taken care of. Trustee is a legal term that's often used when people write wills or set up trusts—funds that are set aside for specific recipients, usually called beneficiaries. There's also the kind of trustee who serves on a board of trustees, a group of people responsible for overseeing a charity or business, setting up policies and goals, and approving budgets. In either case, people have put their trust in the trustee.
Vocabulary lists containing trustee
The Inheritance Games
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Legislative Branch, Sections 1–3
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Legal Lingo, List 3
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
He is a well-known civil litigator and University of La Verne trustee who formerly worked for the Southern California Assn. of Governments, a planning organization that represents six counties.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 29, 2026
"Under the supervision of the commission, an independent trustee will monitor their implementation," it added.
From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026
The next month, Buffett says he is stepping down as a trustee from the Gates Foundation.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026
Ideally, an aging parent will enlist an estate-planning attorney to set up a marital trust and appoint a reliable trustee to carry out their wishes.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 30, 2026
“Me? A trustee? If only Fredrick were here!”
From "The Interrupted Tale" by Maryrose Wood
Garcia praised President Tomás Morales during a board of trustees meeting for his “outstanding leadership at Cal State San Bernardino and systemwide.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026
A petition addressed to the president, provost and board of trustees by an alumni group, signed by more than 4,000 people, urged Yale to resist.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026
Cooper has given the board of trustees until the end of July to explain why the tarpaulin remains in place.
From Barron's ● Jul. 8, 2026
While reducing the fertility-rate assumption is a positive step toward presenting a more realistic picture of Social Security’s financial status, the question remains whether the trustees have cut enough.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 1, 2026
“Only the trustees can give permission. Four signatures are required: the chairman, plus three other board members.”
From "The Interrupted Tale" by Maryrose Wood
It marked a stark change from April 2016, when the university’s board of trusteed voted to keep the former president’s name on campus buildings and programs.
From Slate ● Jun. 27, 2020
Only other individual owner of trusteed stock is George H. Thornley, who has 39,000 shares.
From Time Magazine Archive
President Batten and Director Clarence L. Jordan each own 500 shares of the trusteed Ayer stock in addition to their other Ayer shares.
From Time Magazine Archive
General de Gaulle had already made it plain that France intended to be not one of the trusteed but one of the trustees.
From Time Magazine Archive
International retained its property rights in the trusteed New England shares and holds title to its Canadian power system.
From Time Magazine Archive
I know that I registered a vow that I would never again be trustee of anything without trusteeing it in fact.
From The Making of an American by Riis, Jacob A. (Jacob August)
She informed the executors that she wished to make over half her property to the old man, trusteeing it so that it should descend to his nephew.
From Overland by De Forest, J. W. (John William)
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.
