Where does “commissioner” come from?

Commissioner comes from Middle English commissioner, derived from Anglo-Norman commissionaire, from Medieval Latin commissionarius, ultimately from Latin commissio meaning "a sending together" with Latin cum meaning "with."

commissioner (English): A member of a commission; Someone commissioned to...

Definitions

  1. A member of a commission; Someone commissioned to...

Ancestry of “commissioner”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishcommissioner
2Anglo-Normancommissionaire
3Medieval Latincommissionarius
4Latincommissiocommission
5LatincommittoI commit; I begin; I carry on
6Latincōn-Used in compounds to indicate a being or bringing together of several objects
7Latincumwith, along with; at; -fold
8Old LatincomAlternative form of cum
9Proto-Italickomwith, along, at
10Proto-Indo-Europeanḱómbeside, near, by, with
11Proto-Indo-EuropeanḱeDeictic particle, here; Post-positional...
12Middle Englishkyt
13Germankittputty certain kinds of cement used for fixing e.g. window panes
14Old High Germankuti
15Proto-West Germanickwidugum, resin
16Proto-Germanickweduzresin
17Proto-Indo-Europeangʷet-resin, gum; to say, speak
18Proto-Indo-Europeangū-to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gū-
commissioner — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer