# president

/ˈpɹɛzəˌdɛnt/ (US) · /pɹˈɛzɪdənt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/president
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. head of state

noun · CEFR A2

the highest leader of a country that does not have a king or queen.

For teachers: the head of state in a republic, often holding executive power as the head of government in systems like that of the United States.

- The president signed the new law during a ceremony at the capital.
- In many parliamentary republics, the president serves a primarily ceremonial role, while the prime minister handles the daily administration of the government.

### 2. business leader

noun · CEFR B1

the person in charge of a large company or a part of a business.

For teachers: the highest-ranking officer of a corporation or organization, often responsible for high-level strategy and reporting to a board of directors.

- She was promoted to president of the company after ten years of hard work.
- The president of the international division announced a major restructuring plan to improve efficiency across the European offices.

### 3. head of a group

noun · CEFR B1

the person who leads a club, a university, or a small group.

For teachers: the presiding officer of an organized body, such as a university, society, or committee.

- The student president organized a protest against the new library fees.
- As president of the local historical society, he spent his weekends archiving documents from the town's founding era.

### 4. meeting leader

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

the person who is in charge of a specific meeting.

For teachers: the individual appointed to preside over a specific meeting or assembly to maintain order and follow the agenda.

- The president of the meeting asked everyone to be quiet so the vote could begin.
- The president of the assembly ruled that the motion was out of order according to the established bylaws.

Usage: Often used in the context of formal parliamentary procedure.

## Examples

- The president signs the new law today.
- After the election results were announced, the new president promised to improve the country's schools and hospitals.
- The university president addressed the faculty regarding the proposed budget cuts, emphasizing that academic integrity remained the institution's primary concern despite the financial constraints.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.