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

Also on the tax front, lawmakers passed a bill ordering the Department of Finance to analyze the extent to which major corporations in the state leave their employees reliant on Medi-Cal for health insurance coverage. — Stephen Hobbs, Sacbee.com, 30 June 2026

Choice for the full-time employee, and in economies where options are scarce. — Vibhas Ratanjee, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026

So far, those agreements have not reduced the number of employees working on specific programs. — Heather Hollingsworth, Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2026

The strongest workplace models are the ones that support employee well-being while also strengthening performance, service, and organizational resilience. — Johnny C. Taylor Jr, USA Today, 30 June 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.