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commissar Definition

com·mis·sar (käm′ə sär′)

noun

  1. the head of any of the former commissariats in the U.S.S.R.: in 1946, title changed to minister
  2. a representative of the government or communist party in the U.S.S.R., responsible for political orientation, esp. in a military unit

Etymology: Russ komissar < ML commissarius: see commissary

commissar Usage Examples

Preposition: of

  • war: As commissar of war led the Red Army to defeat the Entente in their invasion of Soviet Russia.
  • army: The chief political commissar of the 60th Army reported 17,000 liberated prisoners; he saw " endless human masses " of released prisoners.
  • government: He is appointed the Commissar of the American Government in the Baltic Provinces of Russia.

Converse of object

  • become: Wolff now assumed command of the battalion and John Gates became battalion commissar.
  • include: He asked to call witnesses, including those Bolshevik commissars who were supposed to be keeping an eye on him.
  • attach: There is a GPU commissar attached to each unit, and the commanding officer has to bow to him.
  • appoint: He is appointed the Commissar of the American Government in the Baltic Provinces of Russia.
  • have: Each battalion had a political commissar, and the companies had, as we have said, political delegates.
  • capture: He contends, however, that no captured Commissars were shot by troops under his command.

Preposition: for

  • nationality: After the October Revolution Stalin was elected to the post of commissar for nationalities.

Adjective modifier

  • Soviet: A plan to eliminate Soviet commissars was in the directive for " Case Barbarossa " .
  • political: Good teachers object to being turned into political commissars.
  • Russian: I believe that my age and appearance could well appear that I was a Russian commissar or something.
  • first: Stalin -- ironically the Bolshevik's first commissar of nationalities -- was more guilty than most of reviving old tsarist ways.
  • deputy: He was appointed ambassador to the U.S. , 1941-43, and deputy commissar of foreign affairs, 1943-46.

Noun used with modifier

  • area: These offices are to forward the forms handed in to the area Commissars.
  • Bolshevik: He asked to call witnesses, including those Bolshevik commissars who were supposed to be keeping an eye on him.