president

In government, the usual title of the head of state in a republic; the power of the office may range from the equivalent of a constitutional monarch to the actual head of the government. For presidents of the USA, see United States of America.

In the final constitution of the USA the head of the federal government was called ‘president’. This is the most common meaning of the word, the head by election of a modern republic, such as the USA, France, and Switzerland. The president of the USA has more power than any similar official elsewhere, though, under the Fifth Republic, the French president's powers are almost as extensive. The US president is commander-in-chief of the US army and navy.

The title of president is also given to the heads (or sometimes in Britain to the second in importance) of colleges and universities, to the person presiding over the meetings of learned societies and conferences, and in Britain to some ministers of the crown and judges.