committee

noun

com·​mit·​tee kə-ˈmi-tē 

sense 2 also ˌkä-mi-ˈtē

1

a

: a body of persons delegated to consider, investigate, take action on, or report on some matter

an advisory committee

specifically : a group of fellow legislators chosen by a legislative body to give consideration to legislative matters

The bill has been sent back to committee.

b

: a self-constituted organization for the promotion of a common object

the Olympic Committee

the Northwest Wildlife Committee

c

US sports, informal : a group of players on a team who share a particular role in the team's play instead of having an individual player principally assigned to that role

After going with a committee of running backs last season, the Chiefs were hoping Bam Morris would be able to go the full 16 games as the feature runner, something he has never done in his career.

—Bob Fedas

2

archaic : a person to whom a charge or trust is committed

Synonyms of committee

• panel
• commission
• subcommittee

Examples of committee in a Sentence

We're waiting for recommendations from the advisory committee.

The bill has been referred back to committee.

Recent Examples on the Web

Keating, the top Democrat on the committee’s Europe panel, was joined by every other panel Democrat as well as the top Democrat on the full committee. — Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 15 Sep. 2026

Without anymore than that and taking into account several black eye losses for the conference, metrics the playoff committee supposedly uses like SOS and SOR will likely be dragged down. — Stewart Mandel, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026

New York Fed President John Williams, the vice chair of the central bank’s rate-setting committee and a permanent voting member, identified that as his primary inflation concern. — Bryan Mena, CNN Money, 14 Sep. 2026

Gillibrand is the senior Democrat on the committee, which entitles her to lead one hearing per year on a topic of her choice. — Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 14 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English commyttee, from committen "to commit" + -ee -ee entry 1

Note: Stress on the penultimate syllable is perhaps by association with Latin comitia comitia.

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing committee

• committee of the whole
• die in committee
• political action committee
• school committee
• standing committee
• steering committee
• vigilance committee

Rhymes for committee

• bitty
• city
• ditty
• gritty
• kitty
• nitty
• pity
• pretty
• smriti
• witty
• catholicity
• ellipticity

Kids Definition

committee

noun

com·​mit·​tee kə-ˈmit-ē 

: a group of persons appointed or elected to consider or take action on some matter

a legislative committee

Legal Definition

committee

noun

com·​mit·​tee

1

: a person to whom a charge (as an incompetent) is committed compare conservator, curator, guardian, tutor

2

a

: a body of persons delegated or assigned to consider, investigate, act on, or report on some matter

especially : a group of fellow legislators chosen by a legislative body to consider legislative matters (as drafting bills or conducting hearings)

the Senate judiciary committee

see also conference committee, joint committee

b

: a private organization for the promotion of a common object

political action committees

compare council