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 Herald reported Whitaker’s statement on July 17 in a story that first disclosed the GMCVB’s ticket gift to Rodriguez through the commissioner’s political action committee, A Bolder Florida. — Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 31 July 2026

Jennifer Morrison, the state’s public-safety commissioner, has also spoken up. — Michael Powell, The Atlantic, 30 July 2026

Infantino must have looked like the commissioner of global soccer, FIFA’s own Roger Goodell. — James Horncastle, New York Times, 30 July 2026

Two suspended Newton County commissioners, including the board’s chair, were found not guilty Wednesday of several money laundering charges in federal court tied to a real estate deal, but their cases aren’t over just yet. — Caroline Silva, AJC.com, 30 July 2026

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

Rhymes for commissioner

• conditioner
• parishioner
• petitioner
• positioner
• practitioner
• missioner

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