To save this word, you'll need to log in.
plural commissions
Definition of commission
(Entry 1 of 2)
1a : 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
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
3a : 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
4a : 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
in commission or into commission on commission out of 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.
: with commission serving as partial or full pay for work done
an artist working on 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.
commission
verbDefinition of commission (Entry 2 of 2)
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.
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
Test Your Vocabulary
Great Scrabble Words—A Quiz
- Which of the following Q-without-U words means the number five in cards or dice?

Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?
TAKE THE QUIZ
Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.
TAKE THE QUIZLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridgedWords at Play
Ask the Editors
Word Games
Share commission
Time Traveler for commission
The first known use of commission was in the 14th century
See more words from the same century