Etymologically
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commissaire

Etymology and origin of the French word commissaire

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Borrowing
First attested
1310
Borrowed from
Latin commissarius
Ultimate origin
Latin (committō)

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /kɔ.mi.sɛʁ/[1]

Forms

commissaire m or f by sense (plural commissaires)[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Medieval Latin commissārius, recorded in 1242 for an executor of a will and in 1309 for a person given a mission, derived from Latin committō (“to entrust”), the source of commettre.[2][3][4][5] Wiktionary calls it a semi-learned borrowing of commissiōnārius.[1] Cognate with Old Occitan comissari, Spanish comisario and Italian commissario.[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

In 1310 it names a person entrusted with a more or less temporary office or function.[2][3]

Semantic evolution

In the 14th century testaments name executeurs et de foy commissaires.[6] From 1538 the word also designated the holder of a permanent office: various political and military officials, the haut-commissaire, and today above all the police officer who keeps public order and leads investigations, the commissaire de police.[3][2] Since the 19th century it has named the person who organizes an event such as a ball or an exhibition (1845) and a member of a commission (1866).[2][3] The commissaire aux comptes audits the accounts of a company.[3] The noun commissariat dates from 1752.[7]

Timeline

  • 1242 – Medieval Latin commissarius, an executor.[2]
  • 1310 – Commissaire, a person given a charge.[2]
  • 1538 – The holder of a permanent office.[2]
  • 1752 – Commissariat.[7]
  • 1845 – The organizer of an event.[2]
  • 1866 – A member of a commission.[2]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A person given a special and temporary function; a commissioner.[8][1]
  2. An official representing the government or a public body: commissaire du gouvernement, haut-commissaire, high commissioner.[8]
  3. Commissaire de police: a police superintendent.[3][1]
  4. The organizer or steward of an event, an exhibition or a race.[2][3]
  5. Commissaire aux comptes: an auditor of a company's accounts.[3]

Word family

  • commissariat

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 2, 953b
  5. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  6. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  7. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  8. ^ a b Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Commissaire.” Etymologically, 18 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/commissaire. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·