executer

Executer is a less common variant spelling of the word executor. It can refer either to a person who carries out orders or to the person appointed to administer the estate of a deceased person under a will. In modern English, the standard spelling for the legal role is executor, with executrix historically used for a female executor, and executer appearing primarily as a seldom-used or archaic variant.

In legal contexts, an executor’s duties typically include identifying and gathering the deceased’s assets, paying debts and taxes, filing required accounts, and distributing remaining assets to beneficiaries as directed by the will. The executor may be named in the will or appointed by a court if no valid will exists. The role is fiduciary, requiring impartial administration in accordance with applicable laws and the decedent’s instructions.

In computing and software engineering, a closely related concept is the executor, a component or service responsible for running tasks, commands, or units of work, often with capabilities for concurrency or asynchronous execution. In this domain, the spelling executor is far more common, while executer is rarely used and generally considered a misspelling or nonstandard form.

Etymologically, the word derives from Latin exsecutor, through Old French executer, into English. Over time, executor became the prevailing spelling for the legal role, while executer survives only in historical or regional usage. The term should not be confused with executioner, which refers to one who carries out capital punishment, or with the broader concept of execution in computing or process management.