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 corporation owns a building at the corner of 67th Street and Seventh Avenue and rents to several businesses below market rate so that business owners can have more funds for other needs such as employees. —Miami Herald, 1 Apr. 2026

Those items are related to policies that deal with board members’ duties and requirements, meeting rules, and employment practices related to at-will employment, and employee assignments and schedules. —Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 Apr. 2026

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said in a statement that the relocation will improve the Forest Service's mission of managing its forests, saving taxpayers' money and boosting employee recruitment. —Terry Collins, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2026

Night is a popular time for Arabic people to visit cafes, hence why Turath will be open when Starbucks employees are rolling up their mats for the evening. —Jenna Thompson april 1, Kansas City Star, 1 Apr. 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.