commissioner

noun

com·​mis·​sion·​er kə-ˈmi-sh(ə-)nər 

: a person with a commission: such as

a

: a member of a commission

b

: the representative of the governmental authority in a district, province, or other unit often having both judicial and administrative powers

c

: the officer in charge of a department or bureau of the public service

d

: the administrative head of a professional sport

commissionership

kə-ˈmi-sh(ə-)nər-ˌship 

noun

Examples of commissioner in a Sentence

The baseball commissioner decided to suspend the players for 10 games.

Recent Examples on the Web

The agency currently operates independently, with both Democratic and Republican commissioners, and members of both parties have historically supported existing license-holders. —Brian Stelter, CNN, 22 Oct. 2024

In my situation, my gang came back with a detailed action plan of getting science to the commissioner and his lieutenant about the efficacy of our claims. —John Evans, Forbes, 22 Oct. 2024

Under the federal law establishing the CPSC, commissioners are nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate to seven-year terms. —Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2024

The organizers said channel heads, commissioners, producers, showrunners, actors, directors, and HODs will be in town. —Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 18 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, "person empowered to carry out defined duties," borrowed from Anglo-French, borrowed from Medieval Latin commissiōnārius, from commissiōn-, commissiō commission entry 1 + Latin -ārius -ary entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing commissioner

• high commissioner
• resident commissioner

Kids Definition

commissioner

noun

com·​mis·​sion·​er kə-ˈmish-(ə-)nər 

1

: a member of a commission

2

: an official in charge of a government department

Police Commissioner

Legal Definition

commissioner

noun

com·​mis·​sion·​er

: a person with a commission: as

a

: a member of a commission

b

often capitalized : the officer in charge of a government agency

a police commissioner