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

• 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

Additionally, County Executive David Crowley's office has collaborated with the county's human resources division to create internal procedures for employees. —Vanessa Swales, jsonline.com, 27 Oct. 2025

To make that happen, CEO Robert Isom will have to rally American's more than 130,000 employees around the airline's plans and win over both customers and investors. —Leslie Josephs, CNBC, 26 Oct. 2025

Some were left empty as residents stayed home in fear, while others couldn’t open because employees were too afraid to come to work. —Bulmaro Vicente, Oc Register, 26 Oct. 2025

Behind the scenes, Chris Foster, first assistant, and Michelle Villarreal, tournament coordinator for Encinitas Ranch Golf Course and an employee of JC Resorts, provided invaluable support to the women’s club in organizing and promoting the event. —News Release, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Oct. 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.