employee

noun

em·​ploy·​ee im-ˌplȯ(i)-ˈē 

(ˌ)em-;

im-ˈplȯ(i)-ˌē 

em-

variants or less commonly employe

: one employed by another usually for wages or salary and in a position below the executive level

Synonyms of employee

• worker

Examples of employee in a Sentence

A good boss listens to his employees.

The company has more than 2,000 employees worldwide.

Recent Examples on the Web

Souloukou — who was one of the few remaining high-ranking female executives within football — has subsequently been replaced by another former Olympiacos employee. — Paul Taylor, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026

As the business grows, employee owners' ESOP accounts do, too, without contributing a cent. — Arkansas Online, 7 Sep. 2026

Authorities also suspended at least five municipal employees responsible for building safety oversight in the area, the Press Trust of India news agency reported. — ABC News, 7 Sep. 2026

In a resolution, the Italian government negotiated a sale to the American billionaire Peter Kern, formerly of Expedia, and required the reinstatement of two hundred employees. — Jennifer Wilson, New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

employ entry 1 + -ee entry 1, perhaps after French employé

First Known Use

1822, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

employee

noun

em·​ploy·​ee im-ˌplȯi-ˈē  (ˌ)em- 

im-ˈplȯi-ˌē, 

em-

: one who works for another for wages or a salary

Legal Definition

employee

noun

em·​ploy·​ee

variants also employe

: a person usually below the executive level who is hired by another to perform a service especially for wages or salary and is under the other's control see also respondeat superior compare independent contractor

Note: In determining whether an individual is an employee, courts look at several factors, including the nature of the compensation paid, provision for employee benefits, whether the hired party is in business, tax treatment of the hired party, source of the equipment used, and location of the work. Statutes, such as workers' compensation acts and labor laws, usually include a definition of employee as it is used in the statute.