Word Study
committee
CIDE DICTIONARY
committee, n. [Cf. OF. comité company, and LL. comitatus jurisdiction or territory of a count, county, assize, army. The word was apparently influenced by the verb commit, but not directly formed from it. Cf. County.].
One or more persons elected or appointed, to whom any matter or business is referred, either by a legislative body, or by a court, or by any collective body of men acting together. [1913 Webster]
One to whom the charge of the person or estate of another, as of a lunatic, is committed by suitable authority; a guardian. [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
committee, n.
1 a a body of persons appointed for a specific function by, and usu. out of, a larger body. b such a body appointed by Parliament etc. to consider the details of proposed legislation. c (Committee) Brit. the whole House of Commons when sitting as a committee.
2 Law a person entrusted with the charge of another person or another person's property.
1 a a body of persons appointed for a specific function by, and usu. out of, a larger body. b such a body appointed by Parliament etc. to consider the details of proposed legislation. c (Committee) Brit. the whole House of Commons when sitting as a committee.
2 Law a person entrusted with the charge of another person or another person's property.
Idiom
committee-man (pl. -men; fem. committee-woman, pl. -women) a member of a committee, esp. a habitual member of committees. committee stage Brit. the third of five stages of a bill's progress through Parliament when it may be considered in detail and amendments made. select committee a small parliamentary committee appointed for a special purpose. standing committee a committee that is permanent during the existence of the appointing body.
Etymology
COMMIT + -EE
THESAURUS
committee
ad hoc committee, assemblee, assembly, assignation, at home, ball, board, body, brawl, cabinet, caucus, colloquium, commission, committee of one, conclave, concourse, congregation, congress, conventicle, convention, convocation, council, dance, date, delegation, deputation, diet, eisteddfod, festivity, fete, forgathering, forum, gathering, get-together, housewarming, levee, meet, meeting, mission, panel, party, plenum, prom, quorum, rally, reception, rendezvous, seance, session, shindig, sit-in, sitting, soiree, special committee, standing committee, subcommittee, symposium, synod, turnoutROGET THESAURUS
committee
Council
N council, committee, subcommittee, comitia, court, chamber, cabinet, board, bench, staff, senate, senatus, parliament, chamber of deputies, directory, reichsrath, rigsdag, cortes, storthing, witenagemote, junta, divan, musnud, sanhedrim, classis, Amphictyonic council, duma, house of representatives, legislative assembly, legislative council, riksdag, volksraad, witan, caput, consistory, chapter, syndicate, court of appeal, board of control, board of works, vestry, county council, local board, audience chamber, council chamber, state chamber, cabinet council, privy council, cockpit, convocation, synod, congress, convention, diet, states-general, assembly, caucus, conclave, clique, conventicle, meeting, sitting, seance, conference, convention, exhibition, session, palaver, pourparler, durbar, house, quorum, council fire, powwow, primary, meeting, assemblage, member, senator, member of parliament, M, P, councilor, representative of the people, assemblyman, congressman, councilman, councilwoman, alderman, freeholder, senatorial, curule, congressional, parliamentary, legislative, law-making, regulatory, deliberative.Consignee
N consignee, trustee, nominee, committee, agent, delegate, commissary, commissioner, emissary, envoy, commissionaire, messenger, diplomatist, diplomat, diplomate, corps diplomatique, embassy, ambassador, embassador, representative, resident, consul, legate, nuncio, internuncio, charge d'affaires, attache, vicegerent, plenipotentiary, functionary, placeman, curator, treasurer, factor, bailiff, clerk, secretary, attorney, advocate, solicitor, proctor, broker, underwriter, commission agent, auctioneer, one's man of business, factotum, caretaker, dalal, dubash, garnishee, gomashta, negotiator, go-between, middleman, under agent, employe, servant, referee, arbitrator, traveler, bagman, commis-voyageur, touter, commercial traveler, drummer, traveling man, newspaper correspondent, own correspondent, special correspondent.For further exploring for "committee" in Webster Dictionary Online
