From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Commissioner \Com*mis"sion*er\, n.
1. A person who has a commission or warrant to perform some
office, or execute some business, for the government,
corporation, or person employing him; as, a commissioner
to take affidavits or to adjust claims.
[1913 Webster]
To another address which requested that a commission
might be sent to examine into the state of things in
Ireland, William returned a gracious answer, and
desired the Commons to name the commissioners.
--Macaulay.
[1913 Webster]
2. An officer having charge of some department or bureau of
the public service.
[1913 Webster]
Herbert was first commissioner of the Admiralty.
--Macaulay.
[1913 Webster]
The commissioner of patents, the commissioner of the
land office, the commissioner of Indian affairs, are
subordinates of the secretary of the interior.
--Bartlett.
[1913 Webster]
{Commissioner of deeds}, an officer having authority to take
affidavits, depositions, acknowledgment of deeds, etc.,
for use in the State by which he is appointed. [U. S.]
{County commissioners}, certain administrative officers in
some of the States, invested by local laws with various
powers in reference to the roads, courthouses, financial
matters, etc., of the county. [U. S.]
[1913 Webster]
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
commissioner
n 1: a government administrator
2: a member of a commission
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