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

Other Word Forms

• commissionership noun
• subcommissioner noun
• subcommissionership noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of commissioner¹

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

Example Sentences

The commissioner agreed that a range of factors that show systemic issues need to be rooted out, but stopped short of calling the issues institutional.

From BBC

The mayor backed Sir Mark, saying he had confidence in the commissioner's efforts to kick wrongdoers out of the Met.

From BBC

Southers, 68, has been an interim member of the panel since 2023, when Bass picked him to serve out the term of a departing commissioner.

From Los Angeles Times

He accused its former commissioner, Ms McEntarfer, of rigging employment numbers to make him "look bad".

From BBC

Collier then detailed a discussion she says she had with Engelbert in February in which the commissioner allegedly blew off Collier’s concerns about officiating and players’ salaries.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• administrator