deputy

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English

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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From French député, from Late Latin deputatus (appointed).

Pronunciation

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  • (UK) IPA(key): /ˈdɛpjəti/
  • (US) IPA(key): /ˈdɛpjəti/, /ˈdɛpəti/
  • Audio (US):(file)

Noun

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deputy (plural deputies)

  1. 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
    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.
  2. (mining, historical) A person employed to install and remove props, brattices, etc. and to clear gas, for the safety of the miners.
  3. (government) The name for a member of parliament in some countries.
    The State Duma comprises 450 deputies.
    1. A member of the French National Assembly.
    2. (historical) A member of the French Chamber of Deputies, formerly called Corps Législatif.
    3. (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.
  4. (US) 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.

Usage notes

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Deputy is used in combination with the names of various executive officers, to denote an assistant empowered to act in their name; as, deputy collector, deputy marshal, deputy sheriff. In the British coal mining industry, the word referred to as a deputy overman, which was roughly akin to a foreman in other industries.

Synonyms

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Hyponyms

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Derived terms

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Translations

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The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

See also

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Verb

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deputy (third-person singular simple present deputies, present participle deputying, simple past and past participle deputied)

  1. (informal, nonstandard) to deputise

Further reading

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