commissioner
    n 1: a government administrator
    2: a member of a commission

Commissioner \Com*mis"sion*er\, n.
   1. A person who has a commission or warrant to perform some
      office, or execute some business, for the government,
      corporation, or person employing him; as, a commissioner
      to take affidavits or to adjust claims.
      [1913 Webster]

            To another address which requested that a commission
            might be sent to examine into the state of things in
            Ireland, William returned a gracious answer, and
            desired the Commons to name the commissioners.
                                                  --Macaulay.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. An officer having charge of some department or bureau of
      the public service.
      [1913 Webster]

            Herbert was first commissioner of the Admiralty.
                                                  --Macaulay.
      [1913 Webster]

            The commissioner of patents, the commissioner of the
            land office, the commissioner of Indian affairs, are
            subordinates of the secretary of the interior.
                                                  --Bartlett.
      [1913 Webster]

   Commissioner of deeds, an officer having authority to take
      affidavits, depositions, acknowledgment of deeds, etc.,
      for use in the State by which he is appointed. [U. S.]

   County commissioners, certain administrative officers in
      some of the States, invested by local laws with various
      powers in reference to the roads, courthouses, financial
      matters, etc., of the county. [U. S.]
      [1913 Webster]

COMMISSIONER, officer. One who has a lawful commission to execute a public 
office. In a more restricted sense it is one who is authorized to execute. a 
particular duty, as, commissioner of the revenue, canal commissioner. The 
term when used in this latter sense is not applied, for example, to a judge. 
There are commissioners, too, who have no regular commissions and derive 
their author from the elections held by the people. County commissioners, in 
Pennsylvania, are officers of the latter kind.