Dictionary

executive en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /ɛɡˈzɛkjʊtɪv/ (UK)
• /ɪɡˈzɛkjʊtɪv/ (UK)
• /ɪɡˈzɛkjətɪv/ (US)

Etymology

From Middle French executif, from Latin executivus, from Latin exsequi, from ex- ‘out’ + sequi ‘follow’.

Meanings

1. Designed or fitted for execution, or carrying into effect.
2. Of, pertaining to, or having responsibility for the day-to-day running of an organisation, business, country, etc.
   • executive act
   • At the earliest practicable date military administration will cease, and will be replaced by civil administration in the form of Crown Colony Government. There will, therefore, be in the first instance, in each of the new Colonies, a Governor and an Executive Council, composed of the principal officials, with a Legislative Council consisting of a certain number of official members to whom a nominated unofficial element will be added. 1901, Herbert Kitchener, Middelberg Proposal:
   • [...] to make provision for municipal borrowing powers and to enable a Municipal Council to bind itself and a future Council in the exercise of its legislative and executive authority to secure loans or investments for the municipality; and to provide for matters connected therewith. 2001, Penuel Maduna, Constitution Sixth Amendment Act of 2001, long title:
   • When vacancies happen in the Representation from any State, the Executive Authority thereof shall issue Writs of Election to fill such Vacancies. 1787, Federal Convention of 1787, Constitution of the United States of America, Article I, Section 2:
   • an executive officer
   • executive government
3. Exclusive.
   • She works in an office with an executive bathroom.

Forms

Translations (36)

ar إِجْرَائِيّ (designed for execution) · fa اجرایی (designed for execution) · pl wykonawczy (designed for execution) · fi toimeenpaneva (designed for execution) · ms eksekutif (designed for execution) · de exekutiv (designed for execution) · mk егзекутивен (designed for execution) · tg иҷроия (designed for execution) · hu intéző (designed for execution) · ru исполни́тельный (designed for execution) · ug ئىجرائىي (designed for execution) · sh ѝзвршнӣ (designed for execution) · hu végrehajtó (designed for execution) · es ejecutivo (designed for execution) · fr exécutif (designed for execution) · ro executiv (designed for execution) · sk výkonný (designed for execution) · cs výkonný (designed for execution) · kk атқарушы (designed for execution) · el εκτελεστικός (designed for execution) · ka აღმასრულებელი (designed for execution) · pt executivo (designed for execution) · sl izvršni (designed for execution) · fi liikkeenjohdollinen (designed for execution) · bg изпълни́телен (designed for execution) · sh ìzvršnī (designed for execution) · mk извршен (designed for execution) · tr icra (designed for execution) · cmn 執行的 /执行的 (designed for execution) · uk викона́вчий (designed for execution) · az icraiyyə (designed for execution) · be выкана́ўчы (designed for execution) · cmn 行政的 (designed for execution) · ug иҗраий (designed for execution) · ca executiu (designed for execution) · az icra (designed for execution)

executive en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /ɛɡˈzɛkjʊtɪv/ (UK)
• /ɪɡˈzɛkjʊtɪv/ (UK)
• /ɪɡˈzɛkjətɪv/ (US)

Etymology

From Middle French executif, from Latin executivus, from Latin exsequi, from ex- ‘out’ + sequi ‘follow’.

Meanings

1. A chief officer or administrator, especially one who can make significant decisions on their own authority.
   • Such, Mr. Cleveland, is the real character of the government, of which you are the nominal head. Such are, and have been, its lawmakers. Such are, and have been, its judges. Such have been its executives. Such is its present executive. Have you anything to say for any of them? 1886, Lysander Spooner, A Letter to Grover Cleveland, on His False Inaugural Address, The Usurpations and Crimes of Lawmakers and Judges, and the Consequent Poverty, Ignorance, and Servitude of the People, section XXVII:
   • In May, Sam Altman, the chief executive of OpenAI, acknowledged that A.I. companies would use up all viable data on the internet. […] Mark Zuckerberg, Meta’s chief executive, had invested in A.I. for years — but suddenly found himself behind when OpenAI released ChatGPT in 2022. He immediately pushed to match and exceed ChatGPT, calling executives and engineers at all hours of the night to push them to develop a rival chatbot, said three current and former employees, who were not authorized to discuss confidential conversations. 2024 April 6, Cade Metz, Cecilia Kang, Sheera Frenkel, Stuart A. Thompson, Nico Grant, “How Tech Giants Cut Corners to Harvest Data for A.I.”, in The New York Times, →ISSN, archived from the original on 07 Apr 2024:
   • But as we approach the question of presidential power, we half overcome mental hazards by recognizing them. The opinions of judges, no less than executives and publicists, often suffer the infirmity of confusing the issue of a power's validity with the cause it is invoked to promote, of confounding the permanent executive office with its temporary occupant. 1957, United States House Committee on Government Operations, Executive orders and proclamations: a study of a use of Presidential powers, Part 1:
2. The branch of government that is responsible for enforcing laws and judicial decisions, and for the day-to-day administration of the state.
   • The Seats of the Senators of the first Class shall be vacated at the Expiration of the second Year, of the second Class at the Expiration of the fourth Year, and of the third Class at the Expiration of the sixth Year, so that one third may be chosen every second Year; and if Vacancies happen by Resignation, or otherwise, during the Recess of the Legislature of any State, the Executive thereof may make temporary Appointments until the next Meeting of the Legislature, which shall then fill such Vacancies. 1787, Federal Convention of 1787, Constitution of the United States of America, Article I, Section 3:
3. A committee that manages the day-to-day running of an organisation. An executive committee.
   • She was on the executive of the Union of Democratic Mineworkers.
4. A process that coordinates and governs the action of other processes or threads; supervisor.
   • 1973, ACM Special Interest Group in Operating Systems, Fourth Symposium on Operating System Principles The second phase of the executive development proceeded through two steps as stated in Section 2. First, a failsoft executive was developed providing automatic failure detection and recovery […]

Forms

Deriveds

executive decision · dysexecutive · executive ball clicker · executive ego function · executive director · chief executive officer · executive-produce · executive privilege · chief executive · executive producer · executive function · executive curl · executive flu · executive order · executive agreement · executive officer · compact executive car · executive branch · executive summary · executive mansion · executive toy · CEO · executive produce · executive class · executive contour · account executive · executive committee · nonexecutive · executiveship · flexecutive · executive fallout · executive box · executively · non-executive · executive editor · executiveness · executive control · corporate executive

Synonyms

suit

Translations (64)

ka აღმასრულებელი ხელისუფლება (branch of government responsible for enforcing laws and judicial decisions) · ro executiv (branch of government responsible for enforcing laws and judicial decisions) · cs výkonný ředitel (title of a chief officer or administrator) · hu igazgató (title of a chief officer or administrator) · sw mtendaji (title of a chief officer or administrator) · pl władza wykonawcza (branch of government responsible for enforcing laws and judicial decisions) · fi toimeenpaneva elin (branch of government responsible for enforcing laws and judicial decisions) · uk викона́вчий дире́ктор (title of a chief officer or administrator) · ga feidhmeannas (branch of government responsible for enforcing laws and judicial decisions) · bg изпълнителна власт (branch of government responsible for enforcing laws and judicial decisions) · ru исполни́тельный дире́ктор (title of a chief officer or administrator) · pl egzekutywa (branch of government responsible for enforcing laws and judicial decisions) · ru администра́тор (title of a chief officer or administrator) · pt executivo (branch of government responsible for enforcing laws and judicial decisions) · ro organ executiv (branch of government responsible for enforcing laws and judicial decisions) · ca executiu (title of a chief officer or administrator) · fr gestionnaire (title of a chief officer or administrator) · fi toimeenpaneva elin (title of a chief officer or administrator) · fi johtaja (title of a chief officer or administrator) · cs moc výkonná (branch of government responsible for enforcing laws and judicial decisions) · mk извршна власт (branch of government responsible for enforcing laws and judicial decisions) · uk адміністра́тор (title of a chief officer or administrator) · cs exekutiva (branch of government responsible for enforcing laws and judicial decisions) · de Exekutive (branch of government responsible for enforcing laws and judicial decisions) · hi प्रशासक (title of a chief officer or administrator) · hi कार्यकारिणी (branch of government responsible for enforcing laws and judicial decisions) · hu előadó (title of a chief officer or administrator) · fr cadre (title of a chief officer or administrator) · hu munkatárs (title of a chief officer or administrator) · ru исполни́тельная власть (branch of government responsible for enforcing laws and judicial decisions) · ka აღმასრულებელი (branch of government responsible for enforcing laws and judicial decisions) · km នីតិប្រតិបត្តិ (branch of government responsible for enforcing laws and judicial decisions) · mi kaiwhakahaere (title of a chief officer or administrator) · ca executiu (branch of government responsible for enforcing laws and judicial decisions) · ca executiva (branch of government responsible for enforcing laws and judicial decisions) · mk извршен директор (title of a chief officer or administrator) · fr exécutif (branch of government responsible for enforcing laws and judicial decisions) · ko 경영자 (title of a chief officer or administrator) · hu ügyvezető (title of a chief officer or administrator) · nl uitvoerende macht (branch of government responsible for enforcing laws and judicial decisions) · hi प्रबंधक (title of a chief officer or administrator) · nv beehazʼą́ąnii biłʼoʼnishjí (branch of government responsible for enforcing laws and judicial decisions) · it dirigente (title of a chief officer or administrator) · hu vezető (title of a chief officer or administrator) · tr yürütme (branch of government responsible for enforcing laws and judicial decisions) · hu végrehajtó hatalom (branch of government responsible for enforcing laws and judicial decisions) · bg изпълнителен директор (title of a chief officer or administrator) · hu tisztviselő (title of a chief officer or administrator) · el διοικητικό στέλεχος (title of a chief officer or administrator) · tr yönetici (title of a chief officer or administrator) · fr directeur (title of a chief officer or administrator) · ro director (title of a chief officer or administrator) · fr administrateur (title of a chief officer or administrator) · hi कार्यपालिका (branch of government responsible for enforcing laws and judicial decisions) · cmn 執行者 /执行者 (title of a chief officer or administrator) · de leitender Angestellter (title of a chief officer or administrator) · ca executiva (title of a chief officer or administrator) · pt executivo (title of a chief officer or administrator) · de Führungskraft (title of a chief officer or administrator) · ko 간부 (title of a chief officer or administrator) · hi कार्यपाल (title of a chief officer or administrator) · uk викона́вча вла́да (branch of government responsible for enforcing laws and judicial decisions) · fi valtioneuvosto (branch of government responsible for enforcing laws and judicial decisions) · hu ügyintéző (title of a chief officer or administrator)