Primary
''deputy'' ▫ᴱᴺ｜Definition｜1st｜20260313192153-00-⌔
deputy - Wiktionary, the free dictionary
English
Noun
deputy (plural deputies)
- One appointed as the substitute of others, and empowered to act for them, in their name or their behalf; a substitute in office.
- ✤ Synonyms: lieutenant, representative, delegate, vice, vicegerent, number two (infomal)
- ✤ the deputy of a prince
- ✤ The deputy sheriff was promoted after his senior retired.
- ✤ As the deputy store manager, he is able to fire staff.
- (mining, historical) A person employed to install and remove props, brattices, etc. and to clear gas, for the safety of the miners.
- (government) The name for a member of legislature in some countries.
- ✤ The State Duma comprises 450 deputies.
- A member of the French National Assembly.
- (historical) A member of the French Chamber of Deputies, formerly called Corps Législatif.
- (Ireland, often capitalized) A member of Dáil Éireann, or the title of a member of Dáil Éireann.
- ✤ Eamon Ryan is a deputy in the Dáil.
- ✤ At today’s meeting, Deputy Ryan will speak on local issues.
- (US, law enforcement) a law enforcement officer who works for the county sheriff’s office; a deputy sheriff or sheriff’s deputy; the entry level rank in such an agency.
- ✤ The sheriff’s deputies took the suspect into custody.
- ✤ * Deputy Jones was promoted to corporal today.*
Verb
deputy (third-person singular simple present deputies, present participle deputying, simple past and past participle deputied)
- (informal, nonstandard) to deputise
Etymology
From French député, from Late Latin dēputātus (“appointed”).
Pronunciation
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA: /ˈdɛpjəti/
- (General American, Canada) IPA: /ˈdɛpjəti/, [ˈdɛpjəɾi], [ˈdɛpəti], [ˈdɛpəɾi]
- Audio (California): 🔊
- (Australian, New Zealand) IPA: /ˈdepjəti/, [ˈdepjəɾi]
Printed 2026-06-28.
(echo:: @ ⌗)
Link to original
Secondary
• • •