commissar

noun

com·​mis·​sar ˈkä-mə-ˌsär 

1

a

: a Communist party official assigned to a military unit to teach party principles and policies and to ensure party loyalty

b

: one that attempts to control public opinion or its expression

2

: the head of a government department in the Soviet Union until 1946

Examples of commissar in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In Lai’s youth, Taiwanese politics were dominated by martial law under the one-party rule of the KMT, which ran the government, military, and society through a corps of political commissars. —Nick Frisch, Foreign Affairs, 16 May 2024

The commissar at the encampment is Man, the Captain and Bon’s old friend, and the Captain’s direct superior as an undercover agent. —Carly Tagen-Dye, Peoplemag, 27 May 2024

In July, the Rocket Force abruptly replaced its two leaders, the commander and the political commissar, with no explanation. —Nectar Gan, CNN, 31 Jan. 2024

This is the final fruit of our commissars treating personal decisions, such as whether to wear a mask amid a pandemic or whom to vote for, as being subject to their advice and consent. —Peter Tonguette, Washington Examiner, 12 Jan. 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Russian komissar, borrowed from German Kommissar, earlier Commissar "person delegated to perform an office, commissioner" borrowed from Medieval Latin commissārius commissary

First Known Use

1921, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

commissar

noun

com·​mis·​sar ˈkäm-ə-ˌsär 

1

: a Communist party official who enforces loyalty in a military unit

2

: a government department head in the U.S.S.R. until 1946