/ ɪgˈzekjətɪv; NAmE / noun , adjective
■ noun
1.
[ C ] a person who has an important job as a manager of a company or an organization :
advertising / business / sales, etc. executives
a chief / senior / top executive in a computer firm
2.
[ C +sing./pl. v . ] a group of people who run a company or an organization :
The union's executive has / have yet to reach a decision.
3.
the executive [ sing.+ sing./pl. v . ] the part of a government responsible for putting laws into effect
—compare judiciary , legislature
■ adjective [ only before noun ]
1.
connected with managing a business or an organization, and with making plans and decisions :
She has an executive position in a finance company.
executive decisions / duties / jobs / positions
the executive dining room
2.
having the power to put important laws and decisions into effect :
executive authority
an executive board / body / committee / officer
Executive power is held by the president.
3.
expensive; for the use of sb who is considered important :
an executive car / home
an executive suite (= in a hotel)
an executive lounge (= at an airport)
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WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English : from medieval Latin executivus , from exsequi , from ex- out + sequi follow.