high commissioner

noun

1. a representative of one sovereign member of the Commonwealth of Nations in the country of another, having a rank and responsibilities generally similar to those of an ambassador.
2. the chief of a special international commission or other organization.
3. the head of government in a mandate, protectorate, possession, or the like.

high commissioner

noun

1. the senior diplomatic representative sent by one Commonwealth country to another instead of an ambassador
2. the head of an international commission
3. the chief officer in a colony or other dependency

Word History and Origins

Origin of high commissioner¹

First recorded in 1880–85

Example Sentences

When I finished my seven years as president of Ireland in 1997, I became high commissioner for human rights.

From Freakonomics

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees reported that 3,419 others are known to have died at sea in 2014, so far.

From The Daily Beast

Read the speech given Thursday in the United Arab Emirates by Antonio Guterres, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.

From The Daily Beast

“I am very pessimistic,” U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres told me.

From The Daily Beast

Today there are some 535,000 Syrian refugees registered in Jordan with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

From The Daily Beast

It was exactly the same thing at the office of high commissioner.

From The Daily Beast

An armistice was then agreed upon pending the High Commissioner's arrival.

From Project Gutenberg

The High Commissioner left Pretoria by special train yesterday.

From Project Gutenberg

Mr. Chamberlain has cabled to the High Commissioner respecting the leaders in the recent rising.

From Project Gutenberg

President Kruger and the High Commissioner exchanging opinion over the uneasiness.

From Project Gutenberg

Turkey agreed, but Shakir Pasha, the high commissioner, failed to restore order and the disorder threatened to become a revolt.

From Project Gutenberg