DictionaryAI

deputy

DEP-yuh-tee/ˈdɛpjəti/

Pluraldeputies

5 meanings of deputy

Practice

  1. 1
    second in commandnouncountable
    A person appointed to act as a substitute for others, empowered to act in their name or on their behalf.

    The director's deputy chaired the meeting in her absence.

    Each department head appoints a deputy to make decisions when the head is unavailable.

    UsageOften before a job title for the person next in charge: deputy director, deputy prime minister.

    Similarrepresentative, delegate, substitute, lieutenant

    Oppositeprincipal, chief, superior

    Note

    The appointing is the point, because a deputy holds authority that someone else handed over. A deputy sheriff is usually something else: an officer of the sheriff's office, not the sheriff's stand-in. Lieutenant and vicegerent share the idea of standing in another's place.

  2. 2
    sheriff's officernounUScountable
    A sworn law enforcement officer of a county sheriff's office; used as a rank, it is usually the starting one.

    The sheriff sent a deputy to investigate the break-in at the ranch.

    She was sworn in as a deputy after finishing the training academy.

    UsageThe longer forms deputy sheriff and sheriff's deputy mean the same.

    Note

    American policing turns the word into a rank. In a county sheriff's office it is the starting grade, so it works as a title before a name, as in Deputy Jones, and a deputy can be promoted to corporal. The possessive in the sheriff's deputies keeps the tie to the general substitute in view: the deputy acts in the sheriff's name.

  3. 3
    lawmakernouncountable
    A member of a parliament or its lower house in certain countries, such as France, Ireland, Spain, or Mexico; also used as a title for such a member.

    Each deputy in the chamber represents a single electoral district.

    Opposition deputies walked out of the session during the budget vote.

    Note

    English uses the word for legislators in countries whose own title it translates. A Russian legislator, for instance, is a deputy of the State Duma, which has 450 of them. In this use it is a common noun for the whole membership. As a capitalized title before a name, as in Deputy Murphy, it is mainly Irish, for members of Dáil Éireann.

    Checked 7 Nov 2026 · 2 facts

    • The Russian State Duma has a constitutional complement of 450 deputies. wipo.int
    • Members of Dáil Éireann are styled Deputy before their surnames. en.wikipedia.org

Less common meanings

  1. 4
    fill in forverbnonstandardtransitive or intransitive
    To act as a deputy for someone, or to appoint a person to act in that role.

    UsageIn careful writing, use deputize: the sheriff deputized two volunteers.

    Similarsubstitute, deputize, appoint, assign, delegate

  2. 5
    noun
    A worker employed in a mine to install and remove props and brattices (partitions that direct the air), and to clear gas for the safety of the miners.

Practice

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Origin

From French député, which comes from Late Latin deputatus meaning "appointed."

Checked 7 Nov 2026 · 1 fact

  • Deputy comes from French député, ultimately from Late Latin deputatus, meaning appointed. en.wiktionary.org