executor

noun

ex·​ec·​u·​tor ig-ˈze-k(y)ə-tər How to pronounce executor (audio)
or in sense 1
ˈek-sə-ˌkyü- How to pronounce executor (audio)
Synonyms of executornext
1
a
: one who executes something
b
obsolete : executioner
2
a
: the person appointed by a testator to execute a will
b
: literary executor
executorial
ig-ˌze-k(y)ə-ˈtȯr-ē-əl How to pronounce executor (audio)
adjective

Examples of executor in a Sentence

He named his daughter as his executor.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Even with his professional expertise and years of conversations with his grandmother about her wishes, Ashton, the executor of her estate, said deciding what to do with the house isn't simply a financial calculation. — Sharon Epperson,stephanie Dhue, CNBC, 6 Aug. 2026 Mitchell Zuckerman, a cofounder of Art Market Advisors and a former Sotheby’s executive, told me that executors and beneficiaries frequently choose guarantees. — Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 5 Aug. 2026 Pat Houston, Whitney Houston’s sister-in-law, former manager, and now the executor of her estate, confirmed to Vanity Fair that the lack of a Cinderella album was a great heartbreak of Houston’s career. — Chris Murphy, Vanity Fair, 29 July 2026 That longer period can be helpful when no beneficiary is designated for the stock options and a personal representative/executor needs to be appointed during the probate process. — Bruce Brumberg, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for executor

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin exsecutor, from exsequi

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of executor was in the 13th century

Phrases Containing executor

Browse Nearby Words

executive session
executor
executor-dative
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Executor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/executor. Accessed 10 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

executor

noun
ex·​ec·​u·​tor ig-ˈzek-(y)ət-ər How to pronounce executor (audio)
in sense 1 also
ˈek-sə-ˌkyüt- How to pronounce executor (audio)
1
: a person who executes something
2
: the person named in a will to carry it out

Legal Definition

executor

noun
ex·​ec·​u·​tor ig-ˈze-kyə-tər How to pronounce executor (audio)
: a person named by a testator to execute or carry out the instructions in a will compare administrator
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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