1406, "one given the full power of an officer without holding the office," from Anglo-Fr. depute, n. use of pp. of M.Fr. deputer "appoint, assign," from L.L. deputare "to destine, allot," from L. deputare "consider as," from de- "away" + putare "to think, count, consider," lit. "to cut."
Dep"u*ty\, n.; pl. Deputies. [F. d['e]put['e], fr. LL. deputatus. See Depute.]1. One appointed as the substitute of another, and empowered to act for him, in his name or his behalf; a substitute in office; a lieutenant; a representative; a delegate; a vicegerent; as, the deputy of a prince, of a sheriff, of a township, etc. There was then [in the days of Jehoshaphat] no king in Edom; a deputy was king. --1 Kings xxii. 47. God's substitute, His deputy anointed in His sight. --Shak. Note: Deputy is used in combination with the names of various executive officers, to denote an assistant empowered to act in their name; as, deputy collector, deputy marshal, deputy sheriff. 2. A member of the Chamber of Deputies. [France] Chamber of Deputies, one of the two branches of the French legislative assembly; -- formerly called Corps L['e]gislatif. Its members, called deputies, are elected by the people voting in districts. Syn: Substitute; representative; legate; delegate; envoy; agent; factor.
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Audio Help [dep-yuh-tee] Pronunciation Key noun, plural -ties. 
