employee English · revision 4799

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=1814|origins=en employ, en -ee}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ɪmˈplɔɪ.iː/, /ˌem.plɔɪˈiː/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is formed [[af|en|employ|-ee]],^(Etymonline)^(SOED 2002) on the model of French [[m|fr|employé]], the past participle of employer “to employ”,^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) from Old French empleier, emploiier.^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A person who works for an employer: 1814 in MWU,^(MWU 2024) 1850 in Etymonline, mainly in American use,^(Etymonline) and the mid-19th century in the Shorter Oxford.^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It took over from the French form employé.^(OED 1989)^(SOED 2002) In the United States it was often written employe in the early 20th century.^(OED 1989) A nonce use for something employed is from 1850.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1814 – a person employed.^(MWU 2024)

+ * 1850 – common in American use.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A person who is paid to work for another person or a [[company]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[proemployee]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[employ]]

+ * [[employer]]

+ * [[employment]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ British English stresses either the second syllable or the last, while American English stresses the second.^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}