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

According to a 2019 survey from Office Depot, 70% of employees said their workplace had a holiday gift-giving tradition like Secret Santa or White Elephant. —Metro Creative Services, Boston Herald, 1 Dec. 2025

Some OpenAI employees were nervous that the company was rushing out an unfinished product, but CEO Sam Altman forged ahead, hoping to beat a competitor to market and to see how everyday people might use the company’s AI. —Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 30 Nov. 2025

The survey asks employees for their feedback on such factors as pay and benefits, direction, leadership, meaningfulness, and appreciation. —Bob Helbig, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Nov. 2025

The employees at the merch counter near the entrance are prepping to sell T-shirts, baseball caps, and other souvenirs sporting Guy’s likeness or the club’s logo. —David Browne, Rolling Stone, 30 Nov. 2025

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.