deputy

noun

dep·​u·​ty ˈde-pyə-tē 

plural deputies

1

a

: a person appointed as a substitute with power to act

b

: a second in command or assistant who usually takes charge in the absence of a superior

—often used before another noun

the deputy director

2

: a member of the lower house of some legislative assemblies

Synonyms of deputy

• delegate
• representative
• agent
• attorney
• minister
• manager
• ambassador

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

Blair previously served as one of White House chief of staff Susie Wiles’s deputies. —Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 22 Apr. 2026

Ann-Marie Guglieri, Yale's executive deputy director/chief operating officer of athletics, and Mary Berdo, deputy director of athletics, the second- and third-ranked positions in the department under Chun, purchased a house together in Milford, Connecticut, in June 2018, the deed shows. —Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 22 Apr. 2026

Fonseca succeeds Bruno Marchand, who in March took up the role of deputy director of Porto’s Museu de Arte, Arquitetura e Tecnologia. —News Desk, Artforum, 22 Apr. 2026

Andrew Nixon, deputy assistant secretary for media relations at the US Department of Health and Human Services, confirmed that the study had been rejected. —Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 22 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French deputé, past participle of deputer

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids 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