Standard Lemma guide

deputy

noun · verb · 12 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈdɛpjəti/
  • Canada, General-American: /ˈdɛpjəti/
  • Canada, General-American: [ˈdɛpjəɾi]
  • Canada, General-American: [ˈdɛpəti]
  • Canada, General-American: [ˈdɛpəɾi]
  • California: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Australian, New-Zealand: /ˈdepjəti/
  • Australian, New-Zealand: [ˈdepjəɾi]
  • CMU ARPABET: D EH1 P Y AH0 T IY0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
  • CMU ARPABET 2: D EH1 P Y UW0 T IY0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

One appointed as the substitute of others, and empowered to act for them, in their name or their behalf; a substitute in office.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • the deputy of a prince
  • The deputy sheriff was promoted after his senior retired.
  • As the deputy store manager, he is able to fire staff.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: lieutenant, representative, delegate, vice, vicegerent, number two

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A person employed to install and remove props, brattices, etc. and to clear gas, for the safety of the miners.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: historical

Topics: business, mining

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

The name for a member of legislature in some countries.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: government

Examples

  • The State Duma comprises 450 deputies.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

The name for a member of legislature in some countries.

A member of the French National Assembly.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: government

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

The name for a member of legislature in some countries.

A member of the French Chamber of Deputies, formerly called Corps Législatif.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: historical

Topics: government

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

The name for a member of legislature in some countries.

A member of Dáil Éireann, or the title of a member of Dáil Éireann.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Ireland, capitalized, often

Topics: government

Examples

  • Eamon Ryan is a deputy in the Dáil.
  • At today's meeting, Deputy Ryan will speak on local issues.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

noun

Meaning 7

a law enforcement officer who works for the county sheriff's office; a deputy sheriff or sheriff's deputy; the entry level rank in such an agency.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: US

Topics: government, law-enforcement

Examples

  • The sheriff's deputies took the suspect into custody.
  • Deputy Jones was promoted to corporal today.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

verb

Meaning 8

to deputise

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: informal, nonstandard

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

noun

Meaning 9

an assistant with power to act when his superior is absent

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: lieutenant

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: assistant, helper, help, supporter

Narrower terms: second-in-command, vicar-general, vice-regent

10

noun

Meaning 10

someone authorized to exercise the powers of sheriff in emergencies

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: deputy sheriff

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: lawman, law officer, peace officer

11

noun

Meaning 11

a person appointed to represent or act on behalf of others

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: surrogate

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: agent

Narrower terms: vicegerent

12

noun

Meaning 12

a member of the lower chamber of a legislative assembly (such as in France)

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: legislator

History

Etymology

From French député, from Late Latin dēputātus (“appointed”).

Across languages

Translations

186 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Albanian: zëvendës — representative
  • Albanian: zëvendëse — representative
  • Southern Altai: ордынчы (ordïnčï) — representative
  • Arabic: نَائِب (nāʔib) — representative
  • Arabic: نَائِبَة (nāʔiba) — representative
  • Armenian: պատգամավոր (patgamavor) — representative
  • Azerbaijani: müavin — representative
  • Belarusian: наме́снік (namjésnik) — representative
  • Belarusian: наме́сніца (namjésnica) — representative
  • Bulgarian: представи́тел (predstavítel) — representative
  • Bulgarian: заме́стник (zaméstnik) — representative
  • Chinese Cantonese: 代表 (doi6 biu2) — representative
  • Chinese Cantonese: 代理人 (doi6 lei5 jan4) — representative
  • Chinese Mandarin: 代表 (dàibiǎo) — representative
  • Chinese Mandarin: 代理人 (dàilǐrén) — representative
  • Czech: zástupce — representative
  • Czech: zástupkyně — representative
  • Czech: náměstek — representative
  • Czech: náměstkyně — representative
  • Danish: stedfortræder — representative
  • Danish: vice- — representative
  • Danish: næst- — representative
  • Dutch: vertegenwoordiger — representative
  • Dutch: vertegenwoordigster — representative
  • Esperanto: deputato — representative
  • Estonian: esindaja — representative
  • Faroese: umboð — representative
  • Faroese: varamaður — representative
  • Finnish: edustaja — representative
  • Finnish: sijainen — representative
  • Finnish: varajäsen — representative
  • French: adjoint — representative
  • French: adjointe — representative
  • French: suppléant — representative
  • French: suppléante — representative
  • French: délégué — representative
  • Galician: vigairo — representative
  • Galician: maneiro — representative
  • Georgian: მოადგილე (moadgile) — representative
  • German: Stellvertreter — representative
  • German: Stellvertreterin — representative
  • Greek: αναπληρωτής (anaplirotís) — representative
  • Greek: αναπληρώτρια (anaplirótria) — representative
  • Gujarati: નાયબ (nāyab) — representative
  • Hebrew: סֶגֶן (ségen) — representative
  • Hebrew: סְגָנִית — representative
  • Hindi: नायब (nāyab) — representative
  • Hindi: नाइब (nāib) — representative
  • Hindi: डिप्टी (ḍipṭī) — representative
  • Hungarian: helyettes — representative
  • Hungarian: megbízott — representative
  • Hungarian: megbízott helyettes — representative
  • Ido: deputato — representative
  • Ido: adyunto — representative
  • Indonesian: deputi — representative
  • Italian: delegato — representative
  • Italian: delegata — representative
  • Italian: rappresentante — representative
  • Italian: vice — representative
  • Japanese: 代理 (dairi) — representative
  • Japanese: 代理人 (dairinin) — representative
  • Kazakh: орынбасар (orynbasar) — representative
  • Khmer: ជំនួស (cumnuəh) — representative
  • Khmer: បាឡាត់ (baalat) — representative
  • Khmer: ភូឈួយ (phuu chuəy) — representative
  • Korean: 대리인 (daeriin) — representative
  • Korean: 대리자 (daerija) — representative
  • Kyrgyz: орунбасар (orunbasar) — representative
  • Lao: ຜູ້ຮອງ (phū hǭng) — representative
  • Lao: ຜູ້ແທນ (phū thǣn) — representative
  • Latin: lēgātus — representative
  • Latvian: vietnieks — representative
  • Latvian: vietniece — representative
  • Lithuanian: pavaduotojas — representative
  • Lithuanian: pavaduotoja — representative
  • Macedonian: заменик (zamenik) — representative
  • Macedonian: заменичка (zamenička) — representative
  • Manx: fo-reiltagh — representative
  • Māori: tēputi — representative
  • Māori: kaitiriwā — representative
  • Mingrelian: ალმახვენჯი (almaxvenǯi) — representative
  • Mongolian: орлогч (orlogč) — representative
  • Norwegian Bokmål: nestleder — representative
  • Pashto: معاون (mo'āwén) — representative
  • Pashto: ډپتي (ḍepṭí) — representative
  • Iranian Persian: جانِشین (jânešin) — representative
  • Iranian Persian: مُعاوِن (mo'âven) — representative
  • Iranian Persian: نایِب (nâyeb) — representative
  • Polish: zastępca — representative
  • Polish: zastępczyni — representative
  • Portuguese: representante — representative
  • Romanian: delegat — representative
  • Romanian: delegată — representative
  • Romanian: reprezentant — representative
  • Romanian: reprezentantă — representative
  • Romanian: deputat — representative
  • Romanian: deputată — representative
  • Russian: замести́тель (zamestítelʹ) — representative
  • Russian: замести́тельница (zamestítelʹnica) — representative
  • Russian: представи́тель (predstavítelʹ) — representative
  • Russian: представи́тельница (predstavítelʹnica) — representative
  • Serbo-Croatian: за̑менӣк — representative
  • Serbo-Croatian: за̑мјенӣк — representative
  • Serbo-Croatian: за̑меница — representative
  • Serbo-Croatian: за̑мјеница — representative
  • Serbo-Croatian: zȃmenīk — representative
  • Serbo-Croatian: zȃmjenīk — representative
  • Serbo-Croatian: zȃmenica — representative
  • Serbo-Croatian: zȃmjenica — representative
  • Slovak: námestník — representative
  • Slovak: námestkyňa — representative
  • Slovak: zástupca — representative
  • Slovak: zástupkyňa — representative
  • Slovene: namestnik — representative
  • Slovene: namestnica — representative
  • Spanish: suplente — representative
  • Spanish: sustituto — representative
  • Spanish: delegado — representative
  • Spanish: representante — representative
  • Spanish: adjunto — representative
  • Swahili: naibu — representative
  • Swedish: biträdande — representative
  • Swedish: vice — representative
  • Tajik: ҷонишин (jonišin) — representative
  • Tajik: муовин (muovin) — representative
  • Tajik: ноиб (noyib) — representative
  • Tatar: урынбасар (urınbasar) — representative
  • Thai: ผู้รักษาการแทน (pûu-rák-sǎa-gaan-tɛɛn) — representative
  • Thai: ตัวแทน (dtuua-tɛɛn) — representative
  • Thai: ผู้แทน (pûu-tɛɛn) — representative
  • Thai: ปลัด (bpà-làt) — representative
  • Turkish: muavin — representative
  • Turkmen: orunbasar — representative
  • Ukrainian: засту́пник (zastúpnyk) — representative
  • Ukrainian: засту́пниця (zastúpnycja) — representative
  • Urdu: نائِب (nāib) — representative
  • Urdu: ڈِپْٹی (ḍipṭī) — representative
  • Uyghur: مۇئاۋىن (mu'awin) — representative
  • Uzbek: muovin — representative
  • Uzbek: oʻrinbosar — representative
  • Vietnamese: phó — representative
  • Armenian: պատգամավոր (patgamavor) — member of parliament — see also legislator, Member of Parliament
  • Asturian: deputáu — member of parliament — see also legislator, Member of Parliament
  • Azerbaijani: deputat — member of parliament — see also legislator, Member of Parliament
  • Belarusian: дэпута́т (deputát) — member of parliament — see also legislator, Member of Parliament
  • Belarusian: дэпута́тка (deputátka) — member of parliament — see also legislator, Member of Parliament
  • Bulgarian: депута́т (deputát) — member of parliament — see also legislator, Member of Parliament
  • Bulgarian: депута́тка (deputátka) — member of parliament — see also legislator, Member of Parliament
  • Chinese Cantonese: 議員 /议员 (ji5 jyun4) — member of parliament — see also legislator, Member of Parliament
  • Chinese Mandarin: 議員 /议员 (yìyuán) — member of parliament — see also legislator, Member of Parliament
  • Ngazidja Comorian: wakala — member of parliament — see also legislator, Member of Parliament
  • Danish: deputeret — member of parliament — see also legislator, Member of Parliament
  • Esperanto: deputato — member of parliament — see also legislator, Member of Parliament
  • Finnish: edustaja — member of parliament — see also legislator, Member of Parliament
  • French: député — member of parliament — see also legislator, Member of Parliament
  • French: députée — member of parliament — see also legislator, Member of Parliament
  • Galician: deputado — member of parliament — see also legislator, Member of Parliament
  • Georgian: დეპუტატი (deṗuṭaṭi) — member of parliament — see also legislator, Member of Parliament
  • German: Deputierter — member of parliament — see also legislator, Member of Parliament
  • German: Deputierte — member of parliament — see also legislator, Member of Parliament
  • German: Abgeordneter — member of parliament — see also legislator, Member of Parliament
  • German: Abgeordnete — member of parliament — see also legislator, Member of Parliament
  • Greek: βουλευτής (vouleftís) — member of parliament — see also legislator, Member of Parliament
  • Hungarian: képviselő — member of parliament — see also legislator, Member of Parliament
  • Hungarian: képviselőház tagja — member of parliament — see also legislator, Member of Parliament
  • Ido: deputato — member of parliament — see also legislator, Member of Parliament
  • Indonesian: wakil rakyat — member of parliament — see also legislator, Member of Parliament
  • Irish: teachta — member of parliament — see also legislator, Member of Parliament
  • Italian: deputato — member of parliament — see also legislator, Member of Parliament
  • Italian: deputata — member of parliament — see also legislator, Member of Parliament
  • Japanese: 代議士 (daigishi) — member of parliament — see also legislator, Member of Parliament
  • Kazakh: депутат (deputat) — member of parliament — see also legislator, Member of Parliament
  • Korean: 의원 (uiwon) — member of parliament — see also legislator, Member of Parliament
  • Kyrgyz: депутат (deputat) — member of parliament — see also legislator, Member of Parliament
  • Latvian: deputāts — member of parliament — see also legislator, Member of Parliament
  • Lithuanian: deputatas — member of parliament — see also legislator, Member of Parliament
  • Portuguese: deputado — member of parliament — see also legislator, Member of Parliament
  • Romanian: deputat — member of parliament — see also legislator, Member of Parliament
  • Romanian: deputată — member of parliament — see also legislator, Member of Parliament
  • Russian: депута́т (deputát) — member of parliament — see also legislator, Member of Parliament
  • Spanish: diputado — member of parliament — see also legislator, Member of Parliament
  • Turkish: milletvekili — member of parliament — see also legislator, Member of Parliament
  • Turkish: mebus — member of parliament — see also legislator, Member of Parliament
  • Ukrainian: депута́т (deputát) — member of parliament — see also legislator, Member of Parliament
  • Ukrainian: депута́тка (deputátka) — member of parliament — see also legislator, Member of Parliament
  • Uzbek: deputat — member of parliament — see also legislator, Member of Parliament
Real reading context

deputy in complete knowledge articles