trustee
UK: trʌˈstiː | US: trʌˈstiː
n. a person or organization legally appointed to manage assets or affairs on behalf of another
n. a member of a board overseeing an institution (e.g., university trustee)
The word "trustee" combines "trust," derived from Old Norse traust (meaning "confidence" or "protection"), with the suffix "-ee," from Anglo-French -é (indicating the recipient of an action). Originally used in legal contexts (16th century), it literally means "one entrusted with responsibility." The suffix "-ee" contrasts with "-er" (e.g., "trustor"), emphasizing passive receipt of duty rather than active delegation.
The trustee manages the estate for the beneficiaries.
She was appointed as a trustee of the charitable foundation.
University trustees voted to approve the new campus policy.
The bankruptcy trustee liquidated the company’s assets.
As a trustee, his role is to act in the best interest of the trust.