chairman

[chair-muhn]

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.

verb (used with object)

chairmaned, chairmanned, chairmaning, chairmanning. 

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

chairman

/ 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

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 Note

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

Other Word Forms

• chairmanship noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of chairman¹

First recorded in 1645–55; chair + -man

Example Sentences

Jellycat founder and chairman Thomas Gatacre said: "Our mission is simple: to create joy and try to be the most loved soft toy company in the world."

From BBC

The groups opposing Proposition 50 have raised more than $35 million, with the vast majority coming from Republican donor Charles Munger Jr., the son of the former Berkshire Hathaway vice chairman.

From Los Angeles Times

The Warriors said in a statement that Leigh chairman Derek Beaumont wrote to them on Tuesday to say his side will not play the game over what he perceives to be an "unacceptable" ticket allocation.

From BBC

Ek said he will remain as executive chairman and focus on strategy, capital allocation and regulatory efforts.

From Los Angeles Times

Inquiry chairman Sir Adrian Fulford asked Mr Wheeler if he had "any curiosity at all" about who he was selling knives to, to which Mr Wheeler replied: "I suppose not, sir."

From BBC

Related Words

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