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

Haro said the family tried to keep all 30 of its full-time employees through the move, though some may not be able to make the commute to the new location. — Laura Rodríguez Presa, Chicago Tribune, 26 Sep. 2026

Some contractor, or postal maintenance employee, had botched the repair. — Tim Carter, Hartford Courant, 26 Sep. 2026

Then again, so does any employee in any line of work whose ultimate thanks for the loyalty is a pink slip from a stranger. — Miami Herald, 25 Sep. 2026

Garlin was accused by members of the cast and crew of inappropriate verbal conduct, unwanted physical contact, including hugging and touching, and behavior that some employees described as creating an uncomfortable work environment. — Ashley Hume, FOXNews.com, 25 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.