commission English · revision 2689

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1344|origins=la mittō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /kəˈmɪʃ.ən/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|commissioun]],^(MWU 2024) [[bor|fro|commission]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) and directly [[bor|la|commissiō|t=the act of committing, of bringing together]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) in Medieval Latin “delegation of business”,^(Etymonline) a noun of action from the past participle of [[m|la|committō|t=I join, bring together, entrust]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) the source of [[commit]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Cresswell 2021) from com- “together” and [[m|la|mittō|t=I let go, send]], the source of [[mission]].^(Etymonline) The verb is from the noun.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Authority entrusted to someone, delegated power: 1344,^(Barnhart 1988) the mid-14th century.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ A document conferring authority is first recorded in 1418,^(Barnhart 1988) the early 15th century,^(Etymonline) and a body of people charged with special duties, such as an investigation, from 1494.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) Anything entrusted to someone to perform is from the 1560s,^(Etymonline) and “the act of committing or doing”, as of a crime, from the 1590s.^(Etymonline) A military officer's commission is from 1672.^(OED 1989) The payment made to an agent, a percentage of the money involved, is a later commercial sense.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate) ''In commission'', of a warship under an officer's command, is from 1733, and ''out of commission'' from 1878, later extended to any machinery.^(Etymonline) The verb, “to empower or authorize by commission”, is from about 1661,^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) of officers from 1793, and of ships from 1796.^(Etymonline) Ordering a work of art is a later sense.^(AHD) ''Commissioner'' is from 1427.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1344 – delegated authority.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1418 – a document conferring authority.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1427 – ''commissioner''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1494 – a body of commissioners.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1590s – the act of committing.^(Etymonline)

+ * c. 1661 – verb, to authorize.^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024)

+ * 1672 – an officer's commission.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1733 – ''in commission''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A group of people officially appointed to do a particular task, such as an [[inquiry]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # A payment to an agent or salesperson, often a [[percentage]] of the value of a sale.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # An order for a piece of work, especially a work of art.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # An official document giving the rank of an officer in the armed forces; the rank itself.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+ # Authority to act; the task entrusted.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # The act of committing, as of a crime.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # ''in commission'', ''out of commission'': In or out of working order or service.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To order (a piece of work) from an artist or other maker.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # To give a commission or rank to.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # To put (a ship) into active service.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[commissional]]

+ * [[commissionable]]

+ * [[commissive]]

+ * [[commissively]]

+ * [[decommission]]

+ * [[intercommission]]

+ * [[subcommission]]

+ * [[commissioner]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[commit]]

+ * [[commissionaire]]

+ * [[commissary]]

+ * [[committee]]

+ * [[mission]]

+ * [[emission]]

+ * [[omission]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ In Lincolnshire ''the Commission'' meant the Commission of Sewers.^(Wright 1898) A separate cant ''commission'', “a shirt”, is from 1567.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}