employée

Employée is a feminine noun in French that designates a person who is employed by an employer. It is the feminine form of employé, which refers to an employee in the masculine. The term is used across workplace contexts to identify a female worker who holds a job or position within a company or organization.

In everyday and professional language, employée commonly appears in phrases such as employée de bureau (office worker), employée polyvalente (versatile employee), or employée d’un magasin (store employee). The word is gendered, so the masculine counterpart is employé, and different feminine forms are used to agree with the gender of the person described.

Grammatical notes: employée can also function as the feminine past participle of the verb employer, agreeing in gender and number with the subject when used in compound tenses or passive constructions (Elle est employée par l'entreprise; elle a été employée pendant cinq ans). When used as a job title or noun, it carries the meaning of a person employed rather than the act of employing.

Etymology and related terms: employée derives from the verb employer, meaning to hire or to use. Related terms include employé (masculine), l’employeur (employer), and emploi (job or position). The concept also intersects with expressions like l’employabilité (employability) and the broader field of human resources.