chairman
Intermediate (B1)
IPA: /ˈtʃɛr.mən/
KK: /ˈtʃɛr.mən/
noun
Definition
A person who leads or presides over a meeting, committee, or organization.
Example
The chairman called the meeting to order and welcomed all the attendees.
Conversation
Did you hear that our new chairman is from Australia?
No way! That sounds interesting.
I wonder what his plans are for the committee.
Me too! It could really change things up.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
president
leader
director
Antonyms
follower
subordinate
member
transitive verb
Definition
A person who leads a meeting or organization, often responsible for making decisions and guiding discussions.
Example
The chairman called the meeting to order and introduced the first speaker.
Conversation
Did you hear that Sam will chairman the meeting next week?
Really? I think he's going to do a great job at it.
Yeah, he has a way of making everyone feel included.
Root Explanation
Chairman → It is formed from "chair" (from Old French *chaiere*, meaning a seat or throne) and "man" (from Old English *mann*, meaning a person). The word "chairman" refers to a person who occupies the seat of authority in a meeting or organization.
Memory Tip
Think of a 'chair' as a seat of authority and 'man' as a person who holds that position — that's why a chairman is the person in charge.
Visually Confused Words
cochairman
choirman
harman
carman
caiman
airman
subchairman
chiromant