President

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈpɹɛzɨdÉ™nt/
• Hyphenation: pre + si + dent

Alternative forms

• President honorifically
• præsident archaic

Origin

From French président, 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'.

Full definition of president

Noun

1. The head of state of a republic, a representative democracy and sometimes a dictatorship.
• 2007, Benjamin Camins, Hillary Is the Best Choice, Page 144... to change the pattern of the last 220 years of only voting for a white male president, and elect a woman president ...
2. The vast majority of presidents have been male.
3. 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.
4. A person presiding over a meeting, chair, presiding officer, presider.
5. Obsolete form of precedent

Synonyms

• prez humorous or informal

Adjective

1. Occupying the first rank or chief place; having the highest authority; presiding.
• MiltonHis angels president
  In every province.----