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

Matthew Denton, a sheriff's deputy in Ohio's Medina County, has a new dog with a new name, Trooper, in a nod to highway patrol officer John Kronander who found the gray and white puppy abandoned in a crate without food or water at a rest area. — Arkansas Online, 11 Sep. 2026

Cassidy Teufel, deputy director at the coastal commission, said during a review of the project that seaweed farms use taut, rigid lines, not the loose fishing lines that are a leading cause of whale entanglements. — Amy Taxin, Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2026

Federal investigators say the plot was orchestrated by Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, with bin Laden and al-Qaida deputy Ayman al-Zawahri overseeing the operation. — Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2026

John McLaughlin was deputy director of the Central Intelligence Agency. — Mary Louise Kelly, NPR, 10 Sep. 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