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

Frank Carollo held the seat from 2009 to 2017, after which his older brother, Joe Carollo, was elected, and then reelected, as the district’s commissioner. —Miami Herald, 30 Nov. 2025

Adding the layer of tariffs Tariffs layered on top of higher costs for supplies and equipment and years of low prices for many commodities are fueling fears of more farm and ranch bankruptcies and foreclosures, said Kate Greenberg, Colorado agriculture commissioner. —Judith Kohler, Denver Post, 30 Nov. 2025

Payne succeeds Jacqueline Olson, who served as assistant commissioner since January 2023. —Pioneer Press, Twin Cities, 30 Nov. 2025

Strong is a former Senior Citizens commissioner and the CEO of Strong Dance Studios. —Mona Darwish, Oc Register, 29 Nov. 2025

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