commissioner
Americannoun
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a person commissioned to act officially; member of a commission.
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a government official or representative in charge of a department or district.
the police commissioner; the commissioner of a colony.
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an official chosen by an athletic association to exercise broad administrative or judicial authority.
the baseball commissioner.
noun
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a person authorized to perform certain tasks or endowed with certain powers
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government
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any of several types of civil servant
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an ombudsman See also Health Service Commissioner Parliamentary Commissioner
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a member of a commission
Other Word Forms
- commissionership noun
- subcommissioner noun
- subcommissionership noun
Etymology
Origin of commissioner
1400–50; late Middle English < Anglo-French. See commission, -er 2
Explanation
The noun commissioner refers to someone in charge of a formal group or organization, such as a police commissioner or a baseball commissioner. As you might guess, commissioner is related to commission, which describes a group that carries out a particular function. Commissioner can describe an official who directs or regulates a commission, or it can be that person's title. For example, if Theodore Young is the housing commissioner, in formal situations you’d refer to him as Commissioner Young.
Vocabulary lists containing commissioner
Things Fall Apart
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The Articles of Confederation (1777)
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The Dawes Act
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“This is very important for the health of St. Clair County and the residents,” said one commissioner before casting his vote.
From Salon • Apr. 27, 2026
Lord Mandelson served as European trade commissioner from 2004 to 2008.
From BBC • Apr. 24, 2026
Challenger Maria Lou Calanche, a former Los Angeles police commissioner, reported raising about $182,000.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 24, 2026
The partnership will see both sides seek to cooperate on areas from minerals exploration and extraction to recycling under a memorandum of understanding signed by EU trade commissioner Maros Sefcovic and U.S.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026
We checked in at the little hotel, washed, and then went to visit the regional commissioner, the head of government there.
From "My Life with the Chimpanzees" by Jane Goodall
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
