Word
employer
Phoneticsem·ploy·er, stress on the second syllable
US/ɛmˈpɫɔɪɝ/
UK/ɛmplˈɔɪɐ/
Countable noun
Definition
n. a person or company that pays people to work for them. You are an employee, and the person you work for is your employer.
n. a person, business, or organisation that hires and pays personnel for their labour. Often used in legal or contractual contexts to define the party responsible for providing work and compensation.
Examples
“My employer offers a good health insurance plan.”
“The new law requires every employer to provide at least twenty days of paid holiday per year to full-time staff.”
“A responsible employer must balance the pursuit of quarterly profit margins with the long-term well-being and professional development of their workforce to ensure sustainable growth.”
Examples
simple
“My employer offers a good health insurance plan.”
contextual
“The new law requires every employer to provide at least twenty days of paid holiday per year to full-time staff.”
complex
“A responsible employer must balance the pursuit of quarterly profit margins with the long-term well-being and professional development of their workforce to ensure sustainable growth.”
Usage
Commonly paired with 'prospective' when referring to a company someone is applying to.
Pitfall
I am an employer at the bank
I am an employee at the bank
Learners often confuse 'employer' (the boss/company) with 'employee' (the worker).
Confusables
An employee is the person who gets paid to work, while an employer is the person or company that pays them.
RememberEmployee = Receives. Employer = Giver.
Etymology
From employ + -er, first attested in the late 16th century. Compare French employeur.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A2 KeyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.3.0–4.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 2.0–2.524–43TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.225–549
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- A2 · ElementaryOxford
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/employer