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
Zeynep Coskun, a trustee at the mosque, said it was "such an honour" to welcome the King.
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026
Buffett stepped down as a foundation trustee in 2021 after the Gateses announced their divorce.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 30, 2026
"Lie, sir? Lie to him, lie to a trustee, sir? Me?"
From "Invisible Man" by Ralph Ellison
In a written comment to the board of trustees before the Wednesday meeting, both Weber and Rogers called for further scrutiny of Morales’ record.
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
Giri also said that "the temple trustees did not commit the theft", news agency ANI reported.
From BBC ● Jul. 7, 2026
“My name is Tiffany Halliday, and I am one of the trustees of this account. I would suggest you be truthful in responding to all of my questions. Now, who found the key?”
From "The Parker Inheritance" by Varian Johnson
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
The National Association of Manufacturers notes that scandals have centered in labor and jointly controlled welfare funds, insists that trusteed company pension plans should be left alone.
From Time Magazine Archive
Already the Government has got back from the Chase National Bank with which it was trusteed, the half million dollars which Jackson Barnett gave the Baptist Home missions.
From Time Magazine Archive
All the trusteed stock was voted in a block in favor of the plan, Trustee Thornley being unable to swing the other three trustees to his side.
From Time Magazine Archive
To him she left $5,000,000, but again the bulk of the Flagler fortune went undivided into a trusteed estate.
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.
