Commissar - Definitions from Dictionary.com

5 results for: Commissar

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

com·mis·sar

Audio Help [kom-uh-sahr, kom-uh-sahr] Pronunciation Key

–noun

1.	the head of any of the major governmental divisions of the U.S.S.R.: called minister since 1946.

2.	an official in any communist government whose duties include political indoctrination, detection of political deviation, etc.

[Origin: 1915–20; < Russ komissár < G Kommissar < ML commissārius commissary

]

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

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Commissar

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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

com·mis·sar Audio Help (kŏm'ĭ-sär') Pronunciation Key
n.

1. An official of the Communist Party in charge of political indoctrination and the enforcement of party loyalty.
2. The head of a commissariat in the Soviet Union until 1946.
A person who tries to control public opinion.

[Russian komissar, from German Kommissar, deputy, from Medieval Latin commissārius, agent; see commissary.]

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
commissar

1918, from Rus. komissar, from Ger. Kommissar "commissioner," ult. from M.L. commissarius (see commissary).

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

commissar
noun
an official of the Communist Party who was assigned to teach party principles to a military unit

American Heritage New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition - Cite This Source - Share This
commissar [(kom-uh-sahr)]

In various communist systems of government, an official assigned to a group to ensure the group's conformity to Communist party doctrine. The heads of government departments in the former Soviet Union were called commissars.

[Chapter:] World Politics

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