commissar

American  

[kom-uh-sahr, kom-uh-sahr] / ˈkɒm əˌsɑr, ˌkɒm əˈsɑr /

noun

1. the head of any of the major governmental divisions of the U.S.S.R.: called minister since 1946.

2. an official in any communist government whose duties include political indoctrination, detection of political deviation, etc.

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commissar British  

/ ˌkɒmɪˈsɑː, ˈkɒmɪˌsɑː /

noun

1. Also called: political commissar.  an official of the Communist Party responsible for political education, esp in a military unit

2. Now called: minister.  Also called: People's Commissar.  (before 1946) the head of a government department

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commissar Cultural  

1. In various communist systems of government, an official assigned to a group to ensure the group's conformity to Communist party doctrine. The heads of government departments in the former Soviet Union were called commissars.

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Etymology

Origin of commissar

1915–20; < Russian komissár < German Kommissar < Medieval Latin commissārius commissary

Example Sentences

There’s also the reveal that Man is the Commissar, which restores The Captain’s relationship with him but also changes it.

From Salon • May 27, 2024

I mean, we always wondered, since audiences are so sophisticated these days, how quickly, how early will they guess the Commissar is Man.

From Salon • May 27, 2024

The following year, he was appointed Kremlin Commissar for Children’s Rights, even though his only apparent qualifications were his three sons and the gift of gab.

From Time • Feb. 5, 2013

Bo Xilai and Political Commissar Zhang are friends who grew up together.

From New York Times • Mar. 27, 2012

We went to the office of the Commissar, in order to arrange for our return tickets.

From Ten Days That Shook the World by Reed, John