chairman

American  

[chair-muhn] / ˈtʃɛər mən /

noun

plural

chairmen

1. the presiding officer of a meeting, committee, board, etc.

2. the administrative head of a department in a high school, college, or university.

3. someone employed to carry or wheel a person in a chair.

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verb (used with object)

chairmaned, chairmanned, chairmaning, chairmanning

1. to act as or be chairman of (a meeting, committee, etc.).

chairman British  

/ ˈtʃɛəmən /

noun

1. Also called: chairperson.   chairwoman.  a person who presides over a company's board of directors, a committee, a debate, an administrative department, etc

2. history someone who carries a sedan chair

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Usage

Chairman can seem inappropriate when applied to a woman, while chairwoman can be offensive. Chair and chairperson can be applied to either a man or a woman; chair is generally preferred to chairperson

Gender

Is it chairman, chairwoman, or chairperson? See chairperson.

Other Word Forms

• chairmanship noun

Etymology

Origin of chairman

First recorded in 1645–55; chair + -man

Example Sentences

Last week, David Ellison and Delrahim were at a dinner with Sen. Ted Cruz, the Republican chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee.

From The Wall Street Journal

"Today is an extraordinary day in the history of the Kansas City Chiefs," Chiefs chairman and chief executive Clark Hunt said.

From Barron's

Outgoing executive chairman Shi had been a target for unhappy Wolves fans, with critics viewing him as overseeing a managed decline of the club under Fosun.

From BBC

The association's national chairman Mark Fairhurst added: "Our members can now go about their daily lives without the threat of removal from the country."

From BBC

Health Secretary Neil Gray said he was disappointed by the result, adding that he had offered to meet the BMA Scotland chairman on Monday.

From BBC

Related Words

• administrator
• chairperson
• chairwoman
• director
• leader
• spokesman