committee

[kuh-mit-ee]

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.

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. 2018

Examples from the Web for committee

Contemporary Examples

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
The White House was informed by the committee on Monday that the report would be released the following day.
CIA Offers New Security Checks for ‘Torture Report’ Spies
Shane Harris, Kimberly Dozier
December 9, 2014
Team Christie has greeted the committee's news with somewhat predictable gloating.
Democrats Clear Christie In Bridgegate Investigation
Olivia Nuzzi
December 5, 2014
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
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

Historical Examples

Mr. Roebuck gave notice of the appointment of his committee.
The Grand Old Man
Richard B. Cook
It fell to young Ried to appoint the committee on decoration.
Ester Ried Yet Speaking
Isabella Alden
"Your committee," said Mr. Durant, politely ignoring the manner of the questioner.
Ester Ried Yet Speaking
Isabella Alden
But the discretion of the Committee must be an informed discretion.
The Secret Agent
Joseph Conrad
The advance booking, however, was more than 400, and the committee would not hear of it.
My Double Life
Sarah Bernhardt

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

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

n.

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

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}committee

Usage note

Related Words

Examples from the Web for committee

Contemporary Examples

But Chechen leader Kadyrov does not think that Committee Against Torture was needed in Chechnya.

The White House was informed by the committee on Monday that the report would be released the following day.

Team Christie has greeted the committee's news with somewhat predictable gloating.

The committee recommended a single—and simple—principle be applied to the law, that of consent.

When he was appointed few expected that he would be able to guide his committee to a radical conclusion but he did.

Historical Examples

Mr. Roebuck gave notice of the appointment of his committee.

It fell to young Ried to appoint the committee on decoration.

"Your committee," said Mr. Durant, politely ignoring the manner of the questioner.

But the discretion of the Committee must be an informed discretion.

The advance booking, however, was more than 400, and the committee would not hear of it.

committee

Word Origin

Word Origin and History for committee

n.

Origin of committee