chairman

American  

[chair-muhn] / ˈtʃɛər mən /

noun

plural

chairmen

1. the presiding officer of a meeting, committee, board, etc.

2. the administrative head of a department in a high school, college, or university.

3. someone employed to carry or wheel a person in a chair.

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verb (used with object)

chairmaned, chairmanned, chairmaning, chairmanning

1. to act as or be chairman of (a meeting, committee, etc.).

chairman British  

/ ˈtʃɛəmən /

noun

1. Also called: chairperson.   chairwoman.  a person who presides over a company's board of directors, a committee, a debate, an administrative department, etc

2. history someone who carries a sedan chair

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Usage

Chairman can seem inappropriate when applied to a woman, while chairwoman can be offensive. Chair and chairperson can be applied to either a man or a woman; chair is generally preferred to chairperson

Gender

Is it chairman, chairwoman, or chairperson? See chairperson.

Other Word Forms

• chairmanship noun

Etymology

Origin of chairman

First recorded in 1645–55; chair + -man

Explanation

A chairman is the leader of a business meeting or group. The chairman often opens a meeting by addressing the group and explaining what the agenda will be. Charities, clubs, and the boards of companies have a chairman who acts as president or leader. The noun chairman can refer to this person, whether male or female, though sometimes a woman is called a chairwoman. These days, it's more common still to simply call her (or him) a chair. The word chairman comes from a sense of "occupying a chair of authority," while "presiding member of a corporate body" first emerged in the 18th century.

Example Sentences

Netflix’s co-founder Reed Hastings is leaving his co-CEO role and will stay on as executive chairman.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 16, 2026

PepsiCo chief executive and chairman Ramon Laguarta said the "affordability initiatives" had helped improve the firm's performance.

From BBC • Apr. 16, 2026

Two years later, John C. Doerfer, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, likewise bowed out when it was revealed he had vacationed on the yacht of a wealthy friend.

From Salon • Apr. 16, 2026

Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, the chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, projected confidence on Tuesday that the standoff would resolve itself.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026

Encouraged by the scientists’ firm opposition to a test ban, Jackson invited them to address the Joint Committee’s Subcommittee on Military Applications, of which he was chairman.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik

Related Words

• administrator
• chairperson
• chairwoman
• director
• leader
• spokesman