pres·i·dent
ˈpre-zə-dənt
ˈprez-dənt,
ˈpre-zə-ˌdent
in rapid speech ˈpre-zᵊnt
1
: an official chosen to preside over a meeting or assembly
2
: an appointed governor of a subordinate political unit
3
: the chief officer of an organization (such as a corporation or institution) usually entrusted with the direction and administration of its policies
4
: the presiding officer of a governmental body
5
a
: an elected official serving as both chief of state and chief political executive in a republic having a presidential government
b
: an elected official having the position of chief of state but usually only minimal political powers in a republic having a parliamentary government
pres·i·dent·ship
ˈprez(ə)dəntˌship
1
: the office of president
contests for the presidentships and chairmanships of civic bodies—Hindustan Times
accepted the presidentship of the … association—Modern Language Teaching
2
: the period of incumbency of a president
the 17th year of his presidentship—Cotton Mather
Cite this Entry
“President.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/president. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.
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