county commissioner: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal, official, governmental
Quick answer
What does “county commissioner” mean?
An elected or appointed official who serves on the governing board of a county in the United States and some other countries.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
An elected or appointed official who serves on the governing board of a county in the United States and some other countries.
A county commissioner is typically responsible for legislative and executive functions at the county level, including budget approval, setting policies, and overseeing county departments. In some contexts, it can refer to a specific representative for a district within a county.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term and role are predominantly American. The UK has county councils with 'councillors', not commissioners. 'Commissioner' in the UK is used for higher-level or specific roles (e.g., Police Commissioner).
Connotations
In the US, it connotes local governance, often with a focus on rural or suburban administration. In the UK, it would be a marked Americanism or refer to a very different, often national, office.
Frequency
High frequency in US local news, politics, and official documents. Extremely low to zero frequency in everyday UK English.
Grammar
How to Use “county commissioner” in a Sentence
[The/Our] county commissioner [verb: approved, voted, proposed] the new budget.She was elected county commissioner [prepositional phrase: for District 3, in 2022].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “county commissioner” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The council aims to commissioner a new study. (Note: 'commission' is the standard verb; 'commissioner' as a verb is non-standard and rare.)
American English
- (Non-standard/rare) They plan to commissioner a review of the zoning laws.
adverb
British English
- (No standard adverbial form)
American English
- (No standard adverbial form)
adjective
British English
- The county commissioner elections are in May. (Attributive noun use)
American English
- He won the county commissioner race by a narrow margin.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except for businesses dealing with local government permits or contracts (e.g., 'We need approval from the county commissioner.')
Academic
Used in political science, public administration, and American studies contexts discussing local governance structures.
Everyday
Used in communities when discussing local elections, taxes, road projects, or county services.
Technical
Specific term in US municipal law and government describing a defined statutory office with specific powers.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “county commissioner”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “county commissioner”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “county commissioner”
- Using 'county commissioner' to describe a UK local politician (use 'county councillor').
- Capitalizing it when not used as a formal title (e.g., 'She is a county commissioner' vs. 'County Commissioner Smith').
- Omitting 'county' and just using 'commissioner', which can refer to many different roles.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. A mayor typically governs a city or town. A county commissioner governs a larger county area, which may contain several cities and towns.
In most cases, county commissioners are elected by the voters within their county or district. Some may be appointed, but this is less common.
Their main jobs include setting the county's budget, passing local laws (ordinances), and overseeing county departments like roads, parks, and public health.
Most do, but the name and structure can vary. For example, Louisiana has 'parish' presidents or councils, and some states use 'county supervisors' or 'county judges' for similar roles.
An elected or appointed official who serves on the governing board of a county in the United States and some other countries.
County commissioner is usually formal, official, governmental in register.
County commissioner: in British English it is pronounced /ˈkaʊn.ti kəˈmɪʃ.ən.ər/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈkaʊn.t̬i kəˈmɪʃ.ən.ɚ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A seat on the county commission”
- “Throw your hat in the ring for county commissioner”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a COUNTY as a region and a COMMISSIONER as someone with a mission. A 'county commissioner' is on a mission to govern their county.
Conceptual Metaphor
GOVERNMENT IS A MACHINE/BODY (The county commissioner is a cog in the machine of local governance / a functioning part of the body politic.)
Practice
Quiz
In which country is the political role 'county commissioner' most commonly found?