What does employ mean?
Employ is a verb with two closely related meanings: to engage a person's services for payment, and to make deliberate use of a thing — a method, device, skill, or resource. The first sense is among the most common ways of describing work relationships: a company employs staff, an individual may be self-employed, and governments track how many people are employed at any given time. The second sense carries a slightly formal, considered tone, suggesting that whatever is being used has been chosen purposefully rather than casually — one employs a tactic, not a spoon. The word derives from French and ultimately Latin roots meaning to involve or fold into, which explains its connection to words like imply and implicate. Its derivatives are numerous, including employee, employer, employment, and employable. Though common in everyday speech, employ retains a professional register that makes it a staple of business, academic, and journalistic writing.
To pay a person or organization to carry out work; to have in one's service.
"The firm employs fifty engineers at its Manchester site."
More formal than 'hire'; often used in statistics and official reporting.
To make use of a method, tool, material, or skill.
"The chef employs traditional techniques learned in Lyon."
The same Latin root behind 'employ' also gave us 'imply' and 'implicate' — all about folding one thing into another.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of employ
Employ comes from Middle French employer, from Late Latin implicare, meaning to enfold or engage, formed from Latin in- (into) plus plicare (to fold). It entered English around the late fifteenth century, first carrying the sense of involving or applying something, before settling into its dominant senses of hiring workers and using tools or methods. The same Latin root produced English words such as imply and implicate.
Related word forms
How employ is actually used
'Employ' is slightly more formal than 'hire' in the job sense, and more formal than plain 'use' when referring to methods or tools. In British English it is common in official contexts (e.g. government statistics on those 'in employment'). The noun sense ('the employ of') survives mainly in the fixed phrase 'in the employ of'.
Easily confused with employ
'Deploy' means to move troops or resources into position or put something into use operationally, while 'employ' means to pay someone for work or use a method or tool.