executive

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. A person or group having administrative or managerial authority in an organization.
2. n. The chief officer of a government, state, or political division.
3. n. The branch of government charged with putting into effect a country's laws and the administering of its functions.
4. n. Computer Science A set of coded instructions designed to process and control other coded instructions.
5. adj. Of, relating to, capable of, or suited for carrying out or executing: an advisory body lacking executive powers.
6. adj. Having, characterized by, or relating to administrative or managerial authority: the executive director of a drama troupe; executive experience and skills.
7. adj. Of or relating to the branch of government charged with the execution and administration of the nation's laws.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. Concerned with or pertaining to executing, performing, or carrying into effect: specifically applied to that branch of government which is intrusted with the execution of the laws, as distinguished from the legislative and judicial. The body that deliberates and enacts laws is legislative; the body that judges or determines the application of the laws to particular cases, their constitutionality, etc., is judicial; the person, or body of persons, who carries the laws into effect, or superintends the enforcement of them, is executive: thus, in the government of the United States these three bodies are respectively the two houses of Congress, the Supreme Court, and the President with the officials subordinate to him.
2. Suited for executing or carrying into effect; of the kind requisite for practical performance or direction: as, executive ability.
3. n. That branch of a government to which the execution of the laws is intrusted; an officer of a government, or an official body, charged with the execution and enforcement of the laws. The executive may be a king, emperor, president, council, or other magistrate or body.

Wiktionary

1. adj. Designed or fitted for execution, or carrying into effect.
2. adj. Of, pertaining to, or having responsibility for the day-to-day running of an organisation, business, country, etc.; as, an executive act, an executive officer, executive government.
3. n. A title of a chief officer or administrator, especially one who can make significant decisions on her/his own authority.
4. n. That branch of government which is responsible for enforcing laws and judicial decisions, and for the day-to-day administration of the state.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. adj. Designed or fitted for execution, or carrying into effect; ; qualifying for, concerned with, or pertaining to, the execution of the laws or the conduct of affairs
2. adj. of or pertaining to an executive{2} or to the group of executives within an organization.
3. n. An impersonal title of the chief magistrate or officer who administers the government, whether king, president, or governor; the governing person or body.
4. n. a person who has administrative authority over an organization or division of an organization; a manager, supervisor or administrator at a high level within an organization

WordNet 3.0

1. n. someone who manages a government agency or department
2. n. persons who administer the law
3. n. a person responsible for the administration of a business
4. adj. having the function of carrying out plans or orders etc.