commissioner

[ kuh-mish-uh-ner ]

noun

1. a person commissioned to act officially; member of a commission.
2. a government official or representative in charge of a department or district:

   the police commissioner; the commissioner of a colony.

3. an official chosen by an athletic association to exercise broad administrative or judicial authority:

   the baseball commissioner.

commissioner

/ kəˈmɪʃənə /

noun

1. a person authorized to perform certain tasks or endowed with certain powers
2. government
   1. any of several types of civil servant
   2. an ombudsman See also Health Service Commissioner Parliamentary Commissioner
3. a member of a commission

Derived Forms

• comˈmissionerˌship, noun

Other Words From

• com·mission·er·ship noun
• subcom·mission·er noun
• subcom·mission·er·ship noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of commissioner¹

1400–50; late Middle English < Anglo-French. See commission, -er ²

Example Sentences

A local funeral director warned commissioners of a rural county in northernmost Idaho that lawmakers might approve reforms that would create “prohibitive” costs to local governments.

From Salon

"Tom Hayhoe brings a wealth of experience and will leave no stone unturned as a commissioner with free rein to investigate the unacceptable carnival of waste and fraud during the pandemic."

From BBC

Democrats took the most important offices by about two points each, while Republicans won tight races for auditor, state treasurer and insurance commissioner.

From Salon

The city designations mean that Stonewall’s current owners can’t alter the building’s brickwork or flower boxes or signage without permission from the Landmarks commissioners.

From New York Times

The current law requires state governments to appoint a survey commissioner who identifies waqf properties, and subsequently prepares a list.

From BBC

Related Words

• administrator