president

pres·i·dent

noun \ˈpre-zə-dənt, ˈprez-dənt, ˈpre-zə-ˌdent in rapid speech ˈpre-z^ənt\

Definition of PRESIDENT

1

: an official chosen to preside over a meeting or assembly

2

: an appointed governor of a subordinate political unit

3

: the chief officer of an organization (as a corporation or institution) usually entrusted with the direction and administration of its policies

4

: the presiding officer of a governmental body

5

a : an elected official serving as both chief of state and chief political executive in a republic having a presidential government

b : an elected official having the position of chief of state but usually only minimal political powers in a republic having a parliamentary government

— pres·i·den·tial \ˌpre-zə-ˈden(t)-shəl, ˌprez-ˈden(t)-\ adjective

— pres·i·den·tial·ly \-sh(ə-)lē\ adverb

— pres·i·dent·ship \ˈpre-zə-dənt-ˌship, ˈprez-dənt-, ˈpre-zə-ˌdent-\ noun

Examples of PRESIDENT

1. The President will hold a news conference tomorrow.
2. <the president of the international conference on genocide>

Origin of PRESIDENT

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin praesident-, praesidens, from present participle of praesidēre

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to PRESIDENT

Synonyms

chairman, chairperson, moderator, chair, presider, prolocutor, speaker

Related Words

chairwoman; cochair, cochairman, cochairperson, cochairwoman, copresident

Other Government and Politics Terms

agent provocateur, agitprop, autarky, cabal, egalitarianism, federalism, hegemony, plenipotentiary, popular sovereignty, socialism

Rhymes with PRESIDENT

accident, aliment, Blaenau Gwent, circumvent, compartment, complement, compliment, confident, devilment, diffident, discontent, document, evident, heaven-sent, implement, incident, instrument, Jack-a-Lent, malcontent, nonevent, Occident, ornament, orient, provident, regiment, reinvent, represent, re-present, resident, Saint-Laurent, sediment, self-content, subsequent, supplement

president

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

In government, the officer who serves as head of state and sometimes also as chief executive. In countries where the president is chief of state but not of government, the role is largely ceremonial, with few or no political powers. Presidents may be elected directly or indirectly, for a limited or unlimited number of terms. In the U.S., the president's chief duty is to ensure that the laws are faithfully executed, which he does through various executive agencies and with the aid of his cabinet. He also serves as commander in chief of the armed forces, nominates judges to the Supreme Court, and makes treaties with foreign governments (contingent on Senate approval). The office of president is used in governments in South and Central America, Africa, and elsewhere. In western Europe executive power is generally vested in a prime minister and his cabinet, and the president, where the office exists, has few responsibilities (though France is a significant exception).