Picture the part of any organization whose job is not to debate or to judge, but to carry decisions out — to take a plan and actually make it happen. That 'putting decisions into action and running things' role is the heart of executive. As an adjective it labels work, people, or branches tied to that decision-and-action role; as a noun it names the person or body who does it; and because such people sit high up, it drifts into meaning 'made for important, well-paid people'.
From the word’s history
From Latin exsequi / executus, 'to follow out, carry out, accomplish' (ex- 'out' + sequi 'to follow'). The root idea of following a decision through to completion is exactly the 'carry it out' core that ties the manager, the government branch, and the adjective together.
源自拉丁文 exsequi／executus，意思是「跟到底、執行、完成」（ex-「出」＋ sequi「跟隨」）。這個「把一個決定一路跟到底、做完它」的根本想法，正是把「公司主管」「政府的行政部門」和形容詞用法串在一起的那個「執行」核心。
Online Etymology Dictionary (etymonline.com), 'execute' / 'executive'
登入就可以看每一支怎麼連回核心畫面。
原始詞典資料7 筆記錄
以下是外部詞典記錄的用法，摘錄並精簡格式，我們還沒有寫成教學內容。上面的說明才是我們自己寫的；有些用法可能上面已經講過了。
executiveadj/ɪɡˈzɛkjʊtɪv/
- 1
Designed or fitted for execution, or carrying into effect.
- 2
Of, pertaining to, or having responsibility for the day-to-day running of an organisation, business, country, etc.
- executive act
- an executive officer
- 3
Exclusive.
- She works in an office with an executive bathroom.
executivenoun/ɪɡˈzɛkjʊtɪv/
- 1
A chief officer or administrator, especially one who can make significant decisions on their own authority.
- Such, Mr. Cleveland, is the real character of the government, of which you are the nominal head. Such are, and have been, its lawmakers. Such are, and have been, its judges. Such have been its executives. Such is its present executive. Have you anything to say for any of them?
- But as we approach the question of presidential power, we half overcome mental hazards by recognizing them. The opinions of judges, no less than executives and publicists, often suffer the infirmity of confusing the issue of a power's validity with the cause it is invoked to promote, of confounding the permanent executive office with its temporary occupant.
- 2
The branch of government that is responsible for enforcing laws and judicial decisions, and for the day-to-day administration of the state.
- The Seats of the Senators of the first Class shall be vacated at the Expiration of the second Year, of the second Class at the Expiration of the fourth Year, and of the third Class at the Expiration of the sixth Year, so that one third may be chosen every second Year; and if Vacancies happen by Resignation, or otherwise, during the Recess of the Legislature of any State, the Executive thereof may make temporary Appointments until the next Meeting of the Legislature, which shall then fill such Vacancies.
- 3
A committee that manages the day-to-day running of an organisation. An executive committee.
- She was on the executive of the Union of Democratic Mineworkers.
- 4
computingengineeringmathematicsA process that coordinates and governs the action of other processes or threads; supervisor.
- 1973, ACM Special Interest Group in Operating Systems, Fourth Symposium on Operating System Principles The second phase of the executive development proceeded through two steps as stated in Section 2. First, a failsoft executive was developed providing automatic failure detection and recovery […]
摘錄自 英文維基詞典 English Wiktionary，已精簡格式；依 CC BY-SA 4.0 授權使用，改動後的內容同樣以此授權提供。