committee

[ kuh-mit-ee ]

/ kəˈmɪt i /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR committee ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a person or group of persons elected or appointed to perform some service or function, as to investigate, report on, or act upon a particular matter.

standing committee.

Law. an individual to whom the care of a person or a person's estate is committed.

Nearby words

commitment ceremony, commitment fee, committal, committed, committed facility, committee, committee of correspondence, committee of one, committee of the whole, committee of the whole house, committeeman

Origin of committee

1425–75; late Middle English < Anglo-French; see commit, -ee

Related formscom·mit·tee·ism, com·mit·tee·ship, noun

Can be confusedboard committee council panel trust

Usage note

See collective noun.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for committee

But Chechen leader Kadyrov does not think that Committee Against Torture was needed in Chechnya.
Putin’s Favorite Acolyte Terrorizes Human Rights Activists|Anna Nemtsova|December 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Team Christie has greeted the committee's news with somewhat predictable gloating.
Democrats Clear Christie In Bridgegate Investigation|Olivia Nuzzi|December 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The committee recommended a single—and simple—principle be applied to the law, that of consent.
The Castration of Alan Turing, Britain’s Code-Breaking WWII Hero|Clive Irving|November 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
When he was appointed few expected that he would be able to guide his committee to a radical conclusion but he did.
The Castration of Alan Turing, Britain’s Code-Breaking WWII Hero|Clive Irving|November 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Resources were promptly diverted to rescue those under attack, the committee found.
Congress Debunks Congress’s Nuttiest Benghazi Theories|Ben Jacobs|November 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
A committee was also appointed to bring in an estimate of money necessary to be raised.
The Colonization of North America|Herbert Eugene Bolton
For about four months he served on the Committee at a great personal sacrifice.
Chitta Ranjan|Sukumar Ranjan Das
Burr, in committee, frankly declared that the surplus was to establish a bank, and Governor Jay signed the bill.
The Life of John Marshall Volume 3 of 4|Albert J. Beveridge
Confident of their strength the committee set themselves to their task.
A short history of Rhode Island|George Washington Greene
There had been a meeting of the Committee, and the club was shut up.
The Way We Live Now|Anthony Trollope

British Dictionary definitions for committee

committee

noun

(kəˈmɪtɪ) a group of people chosen or appointed to perform a specified service or function

(ˌkɒmɪˈtiː) (formerly) a person to whom the care of a mentally incompetent person or his property was entrusted by a courtSee also receiver (def. 2)

Word Origin for committee

C15: from committen to entrust + -ee

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

Word Origin and History for committee

committee

1620s, from commit + -ee, or else a revival of Anglo-French commite, past participle of commettre "to commit," from Latin committere "to unite, connect" (see commit). Originally "person to whom something is committed" (late 15c.); from 17c. in reference to a body of such people.

committee

noun

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Nearby words

Origin of committee

Usage note

Examples from the Web for committee

British Dictionary definitions for committee

committee

noun

Word Origin for committee

Word Origin and History for committee

committee