/ kəˈmɪʃənə(r); NAmE / noun
1.
(usually Commissioner ) a member of a commission (= an official group of people who are responsible for controlling sth or finding out about sth) :
the Church Commissioners (= the group of people responsible for controlling the financial affairs of the Church of England)
European Commissioners
2.
(also poˈlice commissioner especially in NAmE ) the head of a particular police force in some countries
3.
the head of a government department in some countries :
the agriculture / health, etc. commissioner
Commissioner Rhodes was unavailable for comment.
—see also High Commissioner
4.
(in the US) an official chosen by a sports association to control it :
the baseball commissioner
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WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English : from medieval Latin commissionarius , from Latin commissio , from committere entrust (in medieval Latin put into custody), from com- with + mittere put or send.