What does "president" mean?
The head of state of a republic.
President
/ˈpɹɛz.ɪ.dənt/ adj, name, noun, verb
adj, name, noun, verb ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The head of state of a republic.
- Grammar: president is listed as adj, name, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: chair, chairperson, chief executive, prexy.
- Useful contrasts: attendee, employee, follower.
- Usage evidence: The society made him president.
How to use "president"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "president" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "president" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "president" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "president" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "president" is acting as adj, name, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "chair" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "president", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The head of state of a republic.
"The vast majority of presidents have been male."
- 2 An honorific for the head of state of a republic.
"the President of the United States"
- 3 the office of the United States head of state wordnet
- 4 In presidential republics, the head of government and head of state.
- 5 the chief executive of a republic wordnet
Show 7 more definitions
- 6 Primary leader of a corporation. Not to be confused with CEO, which is a related but separate position that is sometimes held by a different person.
- 7 the person who holds the office of head of state of the United States government wordnet
- 8 A person presiding over a meeting; a chair, presiding officer, presider.
"The President of the Senate shall, in the presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, open all the certificates and the votes shall then be counted; The person having the greatest number of votes for President, shall be the President,[…]"
- 9 an executive officer of a firm or corporation wordnet
- 10 Obsolete form of precedent. alt-of, obsolete
"The thirſt of raigne and ſweetnes of a crowne, That cauſd the eldeſt ſonne of heauenly Ops, To thruſt his doting father from his chaire, And place himſelfe in the Emperiall heauen, Moou’d me to menage armes againſt thy ſtate. What better preſident than mightie Ioue?"
- 11 the head administrative officer of a college or university wordnet
- 12 the officer who presides at the meetings of an organization wordnet
Verb
- 1 To act as president; to do presidential duties.
"Although in other ways you couldn’t imagine two more dissimilar men, [Scott Wiener's] ferociously active spirit resembles the Bolshevik antsiness of Donald Trump. The current president is attractive to some voters who might not agree with his values, or his language, or even his policies, but who like that the president is, well, presidenting. Last year, Trump bulldozed the East Wing of the White House, one of the most recognizable historic sites in the United States. [In contrast,] In Democratic cities, people demand 38 meetings and three dozen environmental assessments before tearing down a crack den to build a nursery for sad orphans."
Adjective
- 1 Occupying the first rank or chief place; having the highest authority; presiding. archaic, not-comparable
"His angels president / In every province."
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname.
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"The society made him president."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "president"?
Common synonyms include: chair, chairperson, chief executive, prexy, academic dean, administration.
How do you use "president" in a sentence?
The society made him president.
How do you pronounce "president"?
Pronounced /ˈpɹɛz.ɪ.dənt/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Old French president, from Latin praesidēns (“presiding over; president, leader”) (accusative: praesidentem). The Latin word is the substantivized present active participle of the verb praesideō (“preside over”). The verb is composed from prae (“before”) and sedeō (“sit”). The original meaning of the verb is 'to sit before' in the sense of presiding at a meeting. A secondary meaning of the verb is 'to command, to govern'. So praesidēns means 'the presiding one on a meeting' or 'governor, commander'.
Etymology 2
From president.