Law Dictionary of Legal Terminology

EXECUTIVE

EXECUTIVE, government. That power in the government which causes the laws to be executed and obeyed: it is usually. confided to the hands of the chief magistrate; the president of the United States is invested with this authority under the national government; and the governor of each state has the executive power in his hands.

2. The officer in whom is vested the executive power is also called the executive.

3. The Constitution of the United States directs that "the executive power shall be vested in a president of the United States of America." Art. 2, s. 1. Vide Story, Const. B. 3, c. 36.