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

The evidence is already in the revenue per employee data, which is eclipsing every historical benchmark. — Michael Wee, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2026

Velez said her employee was outside of the bakery walking towards Aldi’s when he was approached by a car. — Sean Krofssik, Hartford Courant, 3 Aug. 2026

The arbitrator who oversaw those talks ruled that CPD officers, as public employees in a collective bargaining unit, have the right to have their misconduct cases heard and ruled on by a third party out of public view. — Sam Charles, Chicago Tribune, 3 Aug. 2026

Then the Legislature must act, looking for ways to keep state employees from abusing their power in pursuit of a political or vengeful agenda. — Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 Aug. 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.