high commissioner

American  

noun

1. a representative of one sovereign member of the Commonwealth of Nations in the country of another, having a rank and responsibilities generally similar to those of an ambassador.

2. the chief of a special international commission or other organization.

3. the head of government in a mandate, protectorate, possession, or the like.

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high commissioner British  

noun

1. the senior diplomatic representative sent by one Commonwealth country to another instead of an ambassador

2. the head of an international commission

3. the chief officer in a colony or other dependency

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Etymology

Origin of high commissioner

First recorded in 1880–85

Example Sentences

“This increases the risk of fuelling social disruption in Cuba,” the U.N. office of the high commissioner for human rights said in a statement.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 13, 2026

France's high commissioner for French Polynesia said a "30-metre-high" landslide swept one house away, sending it crashing into a second.

From Barron's • Nov. 27, 2025

Former Canadian high commissioner to the UK, Jeremy Kinsman, said the intervention had been "outstanding" and Trump seems to have reduced his aggressive rhetoric.

From BBC • Sep. 14, 2025

Goff had been high commissioner since January 2023.

From BBC • Mar. 5, 2025

The high commissioner is irresponsible, but his decrees, except in certain specified cases, must be countersigned by a member of his council.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 7, Slice 6 "Coucy-le-Château" to "Crocodile" by Various