deputy
noun
dep·u·ty
ˈde-pyə-tē 
plural deputies
often attributive
1
a
: a person appointed as a substitute with power to act
b
: a second in command or assistant who usually takes charge when his or her superior is absent
2
: a member of the lower house of some legislative assemblies
Examples of deputy in a Sentence
the club president sent a deputy to the conference to vote on our behalf
a deputy supervisor to help out with routine tasks
Recent Examples on the Web
On June 8, 2022, U.S. deputy marshals reported seeing a person dressed in black clothing and carrying a backpack and suitcase get out of a taxi that stopped in front of a current justice's house at roughly 1:05 a.m., according to an FBI affidavit filed in court.
—
Scott MacFarlane, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2025
Sherman put his singing and acting career on hold and transitioned into working as a paramedic and later a technical reserve police officer with the Los Angeles Police Department and a reserve deputy sheriff with the San Bernadino County Sheriff’s Department.
—Elizabeth Stanton, FOXNews.com, 2 Apr. 2025
Earlier Tuesday, Mastro, whose record of championing conservative causes in court resulted in the City Council blocking him from becoming Adams’ corporation counsel last year, made his first official appearance as first deputy at a City Hall press conference with the mayor.
—Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, 2 Apr. 2025
And the European Parliament gives the same amount of money for each deputy to do their jobs through the hiring of a parliamentary aide.
—Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 2 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for deputy
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Scott MacFarlane, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2025
Sherman put his singing and acting career on hold and transitioned into working as a paramedic and later a technical reserve police officer with the Los Angeles Police Department and a reserve deputy sheriff with the San Bernadino County Sheriff’s Department.
—Elizabeth Stanton, FOXNews.com, 2 Apr. 2025
Earlier Tuesday, Mastro, whose record of championing conservative causes in court resulted in the City Council blocking him from becoming Adams’ corporation counsel last year, made his first official appearance as first deputy at a City Hall press conference with the mayor.
—Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, 2 Apr. 2025
And the European Parliament gives the same amount of money for each deputy to do their jobs through the hiring of a parliamentary aide.
—Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 2 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for deputy
Cite this Entry
“Deputy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deputy. Accessed 7 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
deputy
noun
dep·u·ty
ˈdep-yət-ē
plural deputies
1
: a person appointed to act for or in place of another
2
: an assistant who usually takes charge when his or her superior is absent
deputy
adjective
Legal Definition
deputy
noun
dep·u·ty
ˈde-pyə-tē
plural deputies
1
: a person appointed as a substitute with power to act
2
: a second in command or assistant who usually takes charge when his or her superior is absent
specifically
: deputy sheriff
Etymology
Middle French deputé person appointed to exercise authority, from past participle of deputer to appoint, depute
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