Used in technical terms of English law, was originally an adaptation of the -é of certain Anglo-Norman past participles, which were used as nouns. Those in -ee denote the passive party in such transactions as are the object of legislative provision. The derivatives in -ee, however, unlike the Anglo-Norman participial nouns after which they were modelled, have not usually a grammatically passive sense, but denote the ‘indirect object’ of the verbs from which they are derived. Thus vendee is the person to whom a sale is made, indorsee the person in whose favour a draft, etc. is indorsed, lessee the person to whom property is let. With still greater departure from the original function of the suffix, payee denotes the person who is entitled to be paid, whether he be actually paid or not.2. The use of this suffix in law terms has been frequently imitated in the formation of humorous (chiefly) nonce-words, as iestee, cuttee, educatee, laughee, sendee, denoting the personal object of the verbs from which they are formed.3. In a few words, as bargee, devotee, the suffix is employed apparently arbitrarily.4. -ee also appears in the English spelling of certain nouns adopted from modern French participial nouns in -é, as debauchee, refugee.

Of vague meaning. In bootee, coatee, it has a diminutive force.