commissaire

British

/ ˌkɒmɪˈsɛə /

noun

(in professional cycle racing) a referee who travels in an open-topped car with the riders to witness any infringement of the rules

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of commissaire

from French: see _commissary

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.

Her struggles with pregnancy provide a subplot, further softening up our gifted commissaire and making his domestic situation less than idyllic.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 2, 2025

With Denis Ménochet, appealing as the local commissaire, and, eventually, Alfre Woodard.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 1, 2024

“Il est assez sophistiqué,” analyse Guillaume Piens, commissaire général d’une foire d’art contemporain au printemps, à Paris au Grand Palais .

From New York Times • Feb. 12, 2023

We sped through the race, past team cars laden with spare bikes as commissaire Jean-Michel ticked off riders for minor infringements and made copious, illegible notes.

From BBC • Apr. 7, 2018

Monsieur Cauchois, the commissaire, bowed with a most respectful air at the compliment, probably of all others the highest that could be paid him.

From Tom Burke Of "Ours", Volume II by Lever, Charles James

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023