commission

1 of 2

noun

com·​mis·​sion kə-ˈmi-shən 

plural commissions

1

a

: a formal written warrant granting the power to perform various acts or duties

b

: a certificate conferring military rank and authority

also : the rank and authority so conferred

received a lieutenant's commission in the army

2

a

: an authorization or command to act in a prescribed manner or to perform prescribed acts : charge

a commission to serve as notary public

b

: a formal request to produce something (especially an artistic work) in exchange for payment

… he found his footing as a Western artist when he received a commission in 1958 to create two … paintings …

—William Grimes

also : a work produced by commission

… the play was a commission of the Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis …

—Sharon Eberson

3

a

: authority to act for, in behalf of, or in place of another

… had summoned all the clans which acknowledged his commission …

—T. B. Macaulay

b

: a task or matter entrusted to one as an agent for another

executed a commission for me while he was in Singapore

4

a

: a group of persons directed to perform some duty

The state set up a commission to study the proposed merger of the school districts.

b

: a government agency having administrative, legislative, or judicial powers

regulatory powers exercised by the Federal Trade Commission

c

: a city council having legislative and executive functions

She served on the city's water commission.

5

: an act of committing something

commission of a crime

6

: a fee paid to an agent or employee for transacting a piece of business or performing a service

especially : a percentage of the money received from a total paid to the agent responsible for the business

He gets a commission for each car he sells.

7

: an act of entrusting or giving authority

the commission of limited powers to the administrator

commission

2 of 2

verb

commissioned; commissioning kə-ˈmi-sh(ə-)niŋ 

transitive verb

1

: to furnish with a commission: such as

a

: to confer a formal commission on

was commissioned lieutenant

b

: to appoint or assign to a task or function

was commissioned to do the biography

2

: to order to be made

commissioned a portrait

3

: to put (a ship) in commission

The ship was commissioned in 2004.

Phrases

in commission or into commission

1

: under the authority of commissioners

2

of a ship : ready for active service

3

: in use or in condition for use

The Internet connection is back in commission.

on commission

: with commission serving as partial or full pay for work done

an artist working on commission

out of commission

1

: out of active service or use

The ferry was put out of commission because of the bad weather.

2

: out of working order

The elevator was out of commission.

Synonyms

Noun

• accreditation
• authorization
• delegation
• empowerment
• license
• licence
• mandate

Verb

• delegate
• depute
• deputize

Examples of commission in a Sentence

Noun

She served on the city's water commission.

Both states set up commissions to examine their public schools.

She gets a commission for each car she sells.

The salespeople in that store all work on commission.

a weapon used in the commission of a crime

Verb

A portrait of the queen was commissioned.

The magazine commissioned a story about the world's best beaches.

The report on poverty was commissioned by the governor.

The king commissioned the artist to paint his portrait.

She was commissioned in the Navy as a captain.

The ship was commissioned in 2004.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Not taking commissions from outside app purchases could reduce Apple’s revenue by hundreds of millions or billions, the company estimated, according to the 80-page ruling. —Wendy Lee, Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2025

Epic accused Apple of stifling competition for app downloads and overcharging commissions for in-app purchases. —Mike Scarcella, USA Today, 2 May 2025

Verb

An independent investigation commissioned by the municipality concluded that the artworks were likely discarded for one of several reasons, including confusion on who was responsible for them as well as a lack of procedures for dealing with the pieces during the renovation. —Lillian Ali, Smithsonian Magazine, 30 Apr. 2025

The hacking was allegedly commissioned by a Washington, D.C., lobbying and consulting firm that worked for a major oil and gas company in Texas, according to an indictment the Justice Department filed in the UK as part of its extradition request. —Michael Copley , Russell Newlove, NPR, 30 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English commissioun "delegated authority, warrant delegating authority," borrowed from Anglo-French commission, borrowed from Medieval Latin commissiōn-, commissiō "commitment, entrusting, grant of authority," going back to Late Latin, "joining, engagement, sin," going back to Latin, "commencement of a game," from committere "to join together, engage, place in the keeping of, entrust, bring about" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action — more at commit

Verb

derivative of commission entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1602, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing commission

• commission merchant
• commission plan
• sub-commission

Rhymes for commission

• addition
• admission
• ambition
• attrition
• audition
• clinician
• cognition
• coition
• condition
• contrition
• dentition
• dismission

Kids Definition

commission

1 of 2 noun

com·​mis·​sion kə-ˈmish-ən 

1

a

: an order granting the power to perform various acts or duties

b

: a certificate that gives military rank and authority

also : the rank and authority so given

2

a

: authority to act as agent for another

b

: a matter entrusted to an agent

3

: a group of persons directed to perform some duty

4

: an act of committing

commission of a theft

5

: a fee paid to an agent or employee for taking care of a piece of business

a 5% sales commission

commission

2 of 2 verb

commissioned; commissioning

-ˈmish-(ə-)niŋ

1

: to give a commission to

was commissioned lieutenant

commissioned to write the biography

2

: to order to be made

commissioned a portrait of himself

3

: to put (a ship) in commission

Legal Definition

commission

noun

com·​mis·​sion

1

: a formal written authorization to perform various acts and duties

a notary's commission

2

a

: authority to act for, in behalf of, or in place of another

b

: a task or matter entrusted to one as the agent for another

3

a

: a group of persons directed to perform a duty

b

usually capitalized : a government agency

Federal Trade Commission

see also agency

c

: a city council having legislative and executive functions

4

: an act of committing something

commission of the crime

5

: a fee paid to an agent or employee for transacting a piece of business or performing a service

especially : a percentage of the money received paid to the agent responsible for the business

commission transitive verb