chairman

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

Jump to: navigation, search
Wikipedia has an article on:

Wikipedia

Contents

[edit] English

[edit] Etymology

From chair + man

[edit] Pronunciation

[edit] Noun

Singular
chairman

Plural
chairmen

chairman (plural chairmen)

  1. A person presiding over a meeting.
  2. The head of a corporate or governmental board of directors, a committee, or other formal entity.
  3. (historical) Someone whose job is to carry people in a portable chair, sedan-chair, or similar conveyance.
    • 1749, Henry Fielding, Tom Jones, Folio Society 1973, p. 618:
      Mr Western entered; but not before a small wrangling bout had passed between him and his chairmen; for the fellows, who had taken up their burden at the Hercules Pillars, had conceived no hopes of having any future good customer in the squire [...]

[edit] Usage notes

  • This term has often and can be used to specify the gender of the person who is the head or person presiding.
  • In current usage it is often used without regard to the gender of the incumbent.
  • Historically, women had not often occupied such positions of formal authority.

[edit] Related terms

[edit] Translations

Retrieved from "http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/chairman"
Personal tools