commissar
nounUK /ˌkɒmɪˈsɑː/ · US /ˈkɑ.məˌsɑɹ/
Etymology Borrowed from Russian комисса́р (komissár), from German Kommissar (“commissioner”), from Latin commissarius, from commissus, past participle of committō (“to commit, entrust to”). Doublet of commissary.
1
Historical An official of the Communist Party, often attached to a military unit, who was responsible for political education.
- On Monday, state media named Wang Houbin as commander of the Rocket Force and Xu Xisheng as the political commissar of the force in a report highlighting their promotion to the rank of general by Chinese leader Xi Jinping.2023 August 2, Brad Lendon, Simone McCarthy and Wayne Chang, “China replaces elite nuclear leadership in surprise military shake-up”, in CNN:
2
Historical The head of a commissariat.
Early Soviet Union
3
Colloquial, Humorous, Often A political functionary whose job is to push the party or government line.
- There is a dangerous censoriousness pulsing through American society. In small towns and big cities alike, would-be commissars are fighting, in the name of a distinct minority of Americans, to stifle open discussion and impose their views on the community at large. Dissenters, when they speak out, are hounded, ostracized and sometimes even forced from their jobs.2022 February 18, Jamelle Bouie, “Opinion: You Just Can’t Tell the Truth About America Anymore”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 02 May 2023:
- Derived terms
- commissarial, commissariat, political commissar