Noun

commission (plural commissions)

1. A sending or mission (to do or accomplish something).

   It was James Bond's commission to defeat the bad guys.

2. An official charge or authority to do something, often used of military officers.

   David received his commission after graduating from West Point.

3. A body or group of people, officially tasked with carrying out a particular function. Eg: The European Commission, The Electoral Commission, The Federal Communications Commission.

   The company's sexual harassment commission made sure that every employee completed the on-line course.

4. A fee charged by an agent or broker for carrying out a transaction. Eg: Reseller commission, Finder's fee.

   The real-estate broker charged a four percent commission for their knowledge on bidding for commercial properties; for their intellectual perspective on making a formal offer and the strategy to obtain a mutually satisfying deal with the seller in favour of the buyer .

5. the act of committing (e.g. a crime)

   the commission, preparation or instigation of an act of terrorism

Synonyms

• body of officials: committee, government body
• fee charged: brokerage

Derived terms

• commissioner
• European Commission
• out of commission

Commission

Commission may refer to:

• Commission (remuneration), a form of payment to an agent for services rendered
• Commission (document), a document given to commissioned officers.
• Project commissioning, the process of assuring that all systems and components of a building or industrial plant are designed, installed, tested, operated, and maintained according to the operational requirements of the owner or final client
• Building commissioning, a quality assurance process during and following building construction
• Ship commissioning, placing a warship in active military duty
• Commissioned officer, who derives authority directly from a sovereign power
  • Contrast with Non-commissioned officers
• Statutory commission, a government authority created by statutes of the legislature such as:
  • Statutory authority
  • Independent agencies of the United States government
  • Regulatory agency
  • Public benefit corporation
• Constitutional Commission, a body reviewing or writing a constitution
• European Commission, the executive body of the European Union
• Presidential Commission (United States), a high level research group
• Royal Commission, a public inquiry
• Irish Land Commission, a body designed to fix rents in Ireland
• U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, a US body enforcing and regulating the securities industry
• The Commission (mafia), the governing body of the mafia in the United States
• Commission (art), the purchase of the creation of a piece of art most often on behalf of another
• Commissioned (gospel group)

Commission may also be used for:

• Letters patent, an open letter issued by a government granting an office or other status to someone or some entity
• A type of government agency that operates under the authority of a board of commissioners, though the term may also be applied to non-governmental groups such as the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics
• A type of contract for performance or creation of a specific work