employee

noun

em·​ploy·​ee im-ˌplȯ(i)-ˈē How to pronounce employee (audio)
(ˌ)em-;
im-ˈplȯ(i)-ˌē How to pronounce employee (audio)
em-
variants or less commonly employe
Synonyms of employee
: one employed by another usually for wages or salary and in a position below the executive level

Synonyms of employee

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Examples of employee in a Sentence

A good boss listens to his employees. The company has more than 2,000 employees worldwide.
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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Meanwhile, the share of California public safety employees with at least 15 years of tenure dramatically rose from about 10% in 1996 to 47% in 2024. — Mariana Trujillo, Oc Register, 11 Aug. 2026 One 2024 survey of large-company employee benefit plans found that about 21% covered elective egg freezing. — Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2026 Police have confirmed that the victim is an AutoZone employee who was accidentally shot by a coworker handling a firearm inside the store. — Cbs News Atlanta Digital Team, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026 Addition Wealth operates on a B2B2C model, partnering with employers who pay for employees to access AI tools and fiduciary Certified Financial Planners. — Geri Stengel, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for employee

Word History

Etymology

employ entry 1 + -ee entry 1, perhaps after French employé

First Known Use

1822, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of employee was in 1822

Browse Nearby Words

employable
employee
employer
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Employee.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/employee. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

employee

noun
em·​ploy·​ee im-ˌplȯi-ˈē How to pronounce employee (audio) (ˌ)em- How to pronounce employee (audio)
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.

More from Merriam-Webster on employee

Nglish: Translation of employee for Spanish Speakers

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