President
/ˈprɛzɪdənt/noun
A person who holds the highest office in a republic or leads an organization.
Did you know?President comes from Latin *praesidens*, originally meaning “sitting in front” or “guarding,” from the same root as *preside*—so its oldest sense is less “leader” and more “protective overseer.”
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*sed-
“to sit”
Latin
Latin
sedēre
“to sit”
Latin
Latin
praesidēre
“to sit in front of, preside over, protect”
Latin
Latin
praesidēns
“presiding, governing; one who sits in front”
Old French
Old French
président
“a presiding officer”
Modern English
English
president
“the head of a republic or organization”