executor

noun

ex·​ec·​u·​tor ig-ˈze-k(y)ə-tər 

or in sense 1

ˈek-sə-ˌkyü- 

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 

adjective

Examples of executor in a Sentence

He named his daughter as his executor.

Recent Examples on the Web

Often the oddity comes from the chilling drone of bureaucracy: the executor’s compassionate thicket of legal reasoning, an airline representative’s denial of Carrie’s quest for a bereavement discount, the dollars and cents of Dr. J’s cremation (for which Carrie is retroactively billed). —Richard Brody, New Yorker, 18 Apr. 2025

Serving as the executor of an estate is not just an administrative duty. —Virginia La Torre Jeker, J.d., Forbes.com, 18 Apr. 2025

Ben Moore, Drue’s cousin and fellow co-founder of Winthrop Intelligence, was appointed as a successor executor and trustee—a natural choice. —Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 26 Mar. 2025

One of the Jackson estate executors, John Branca (portrayed by Miles Teller in the film), did not inform the filmmakers until a September 2024 Financial Times report claimed the estate made hush payments to accusers in Leaving Neverland — after shooting had wrapped on the $150 million movie. —Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 24 Jan. 2025

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

Phrases Containing executor

• co-executor
• literary executor

Kids Definition

executor

noun

ex·​ec·​u·​tor ig-ˈzek-(y)ət-ər 

in sense 1 also

ˈek-sə-ˌkyüt- 

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 

: a person named by a testator to execute or carry out the instructions in a will compare administrator