execute

B2 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ˈɛksɪˌkjuːt/ See IPA manual

Freq #6542

Meanings

1

verb
To carry out a plan, order, or task.

The team executed the project exactly as planned.
2

verb
To kill someone as a legal punishment for a serious crime.

The prisoner was executed at dawn.
3

verb
To make a contract or other document legally valid by signing it.

Both parties executed the contract in front of a lawyer.
4

verb
(of a computer) To run a program or instruction.

The computer executes the commands one line at a time.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

2 verb · to kill someone as a legal... put to death

More do perform

Word family

Forms executedexecutesexecuting

Derived forms electrocuteexecutabilityexecutableexecutedexecution executioner executive executorexecutrixexecutrymisexecutenonexecuted

Etymology

From Old French executer (French exécuter), from Latin exsecutus, past participle of exsequor (“to follow (up/through)”, particularly in the sense “to go through with a deed or punishment”), from ex- (“out”) + sequor (“to follow”).

*sekʷ- Proto-Indo-European executer Old French exsecutus Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# execute

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /ˈɛksɪˌkjuːt/
**Frequency rank:** 6542

## Meanings
1. To carry out a plan, order, or task.
2. To kill someone as a legal punishment for a serious crime.
3. To make a contract or other document legally valid by signing it.
4. (of a computer) To run a program or instruction.

## Examples
- The team executed the project exactly as planned.
- The prisoner was executed at dawn.
- Both parties executed the contract in front of a lawyer.
- The computer executes the commands one line at a time.

## Synonyms
- do
- perform

## Derived Forms
- electrocute
- executability
- executable
- executed
- execution
- executioner
- executive
- executor
- executrix
- executry
- misexecute
- nonexecuted

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *sekʷ-
- Root: executer
- Root: exsecutus

## Etymology
From Old French executer (French exécuter), from Latin exsecutus, past participle of exsequor (“to follow (up/through)”, particularly in the sense “to go through with a deed or punishment”), from ex- (“out”) + sequor (“to follow”).

## AI Etymology
Execute comes from Old French executer (French exécuter), from Latin exsecutus, past participle of exsequor (“to follow (up/through)”, particularly in the sense “to go through with a deed or punishment”), from ex- (“out”) + sequor (“to follow”). In current use, the main senses are “To carry out a plan, order, or task” and “To kill someone as a legal punishment for a serious crime”.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

markdown