ENGLISH
REFERENCE

chairman

n. countable
B2 Upper Intermediate Oxford US //ˈtʃɛɹmən// UK //tʃˈeəmən// chair·man Archaic General-service

n. the person in charge of a meeting or a large organization. This person leads the discussion and makes sure everyone follows the rules.

n. the presiding officer of a deliberative assembly, committee, or board of directors. Often used to denote the highest-ranking executive in a corporate hierarchy.


SIMPLE

The chairman calls the meeting to order at nine.

CONTEXTUAL

After the merger was announced, the chairman addressed the shareholders to explain the long-term benefits of the deal.

COMPLEX

The outgoing chairman maintained a neutral stance during the debate, ensuring that every board member had an equal opportunity to voice their concerns before the final vote.

Synonyms
Origin

From chair + -man.

Usage

Often replaced by 'chair' or 'chairperson' in modern contexts to ensure gender neutrality.

Pitfall

The chairman of the meeting are hereThe chairman of the meeting is hereDespite representing a group or leading many people, the word is a singular noun and requires a singular verb.

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