deputy

American  

[dep-yuh-tee] / ˈdɛp jə ti /

noun

• deputies
  plural

1. a person appointed or authorized to act as a substitute for another or others.

   Synonyms:

   proxy, emissary, envoy, surrogate, representative, agent

2. deputy sheriff.

3. a person appointed or elected as assistant to a public official, serving as successor in the event of a vacancy.

4. a person representing a constituency in certain legislative bodies.

---

adjective

1. appointed, elected, or serving as an assistant or second-in-command.

deputy British  

/ ˈdɛpjʊtɪ /

noun

1. 1. a person appointed to act on behalf of or represent another

   2. ( as modifier )

      the deputy chairman

2. a member of the legislative assembly or of the lower chamber of the legislature in various countries, such as France

3. mining another word for fireman

---

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• deputyship
  noun
• subdeputy
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• deputies
  plural

Etymology

Origin of deputy

1375–1425; late Middle English depute < Old French, noun use of past participle of deputer to depute

Explanation

A deputy is a sheriff's assistant, the person who fills in when the sheriff isn't available. When a deputy is in charge, she has the same powers and authority as the sheriff. You can use the noun deputy for anyone who is singled out to step in for another person. A deputy leader of a government fills in when the president or prime minister is ill, and a magazine's deputy editor is qualified to edit an issue when the editor isn't available. The Middle French root is députer, "appoint or assign," from the Late Latin deputare.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

deputy deputies

Left behind on the decoy plane were Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller and other administration officials and aides.

From Salon ● Aug. 17, 2026

"This is an important next step in bringing competition and growth to the market for international rail services," said Martin Jones, deputy director of access and international at the ORR.

From Barron's ● Aug. 17, 2026

At a briefing last week, UNC’s deputy commander Lt.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026

During the visit, guards saw Randall try to pass a blue balloon to her son, a deputy probation officer wrote in the report.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026

“Evening to ya,” the deputy yelled from the bottom of the steps.

From "Root Magic" by Eden Royce

The cougar was found lying on the sidewalk under the shade of a tree, where deputies set up a perimeter to keep vehicles and people away.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026

Paramount Chief Executive David Ellison and his deputies are aiming to resolve the dispute that has delayed his quest to join Paramount, with CBS and its streaming services, to Warner, parent of HBO and CNN.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026

“In many incidents involving a person experiencing a mental health crisis or actively harming themselves, deputies prioritize de-escalation by creating time, distance and opportunities for communication,” the statement read.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026

"In many incidents involving a person experiencing a mental health crisis or actively harming themselves, deputies prioritise de-escalation by creating time, distance and opportunities for communication," their statement said.

From BBC ● Aug. 5, 2026

The drifters were moving off down the track, and the deputies were heading back into town.

From "A Long Way from Chicago" by Richard Peck

Related Words

• aide
• appointee
• commissioner
• delegate
• minister
• representative