deputy

deputy

/ˈdepjuti/

(plural deputies)

1 a person who is the next most important person below a business manager, a head of a school, a political leader, etc. and who does that person’s job when they are away

I'm acting as deputy till the manager returns.

She was appointed deputy head of the school.

A new deputy has not yet been appointed.

She is acting as deputy to the chairman of the board.

a former deputy chairman of the Democratic Party

Oxford Collocations Dictionary

adjective

verb + deputy

deputy + noun

preposition

deputy to

2 ​the name for a member of parliament in some countries

23 women were among the 77 deputies elected.

Collocations

adjective

verb + deputy

3 ​(in the US) a police officer who helps the sheriff of an area

Word Origin

late Middle English: from Old French depute, from late Latin deputatus, past participle of deputare ‘consider to be, assign’, from de- ‘away’ + putare ‘consider’.