committee

/kəˈmɪdi/

/kəˈmɪti/

Other forms: committees

A committee is a group of people who come together to work on a project. Members of a committee commit their efforts to accomplishing a particular task, which can be anything from throwing a party to ending a war.

You could join the Committee to Protect Groundhogs, Bumblebees and Chickadees (yes, there really is one), or you might aspire to a committee that debates questions of national importance. Committees are often subgroups of larger bodies, and the U.S. House of Representatives' Committee on Agriculture, which focuses on issues in the farming and poultry industries, is a good example. Committee members become experts on issues in agriculture and the group can then make informed decisions efficiently.

Definitions of committee

1. noun

   a special group delegated to consider some matter
   “"a committee is a group that keeps minutes and loses hours" - Milton Berle”

   synonyms: commission

   types:

   ECOSOC commission, Economic and Social Council commission

   a commission of the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations

   blue ribbon commission, blue ribbon committee

   an independent and exclusive commission of nonpartisan statesmen and experts formed to investigate some important governmental issue

   board

   a committee having supervisory powers

   election commission

   a commission delegated to supervise an election

   fairness commission

   a commission delegated to ensure opportunities for the expression of opposing views

   planning commission

   a commission delegated to propose plans for future activities and developments

   conservancy

   a commission with jurisdiction over fisheries and navigation in a port or river

   select committee

   a parliamentary committee appointed for some special purpose

   subcommittee

   a subset of committee members organized for a specific purpose

   standing committee

   a permanent legislative group that works on one subject

   steering committee

   a committee to arrange the order of business for some larger (legislative) body

   ethics committee, ethics panel

   a committee appointed to consider ethical issues

   finance committee

   a committee appointed to consider financial issues

   politburo

   the chief executive and political committee of the Communist Party

   political action committee

   committee formed by a special-interest group to raise money for their favorite political candidates

   praesidium, presidium

   a permanent executive committee in socialist countries that has all the powers of some larger legislative body and that acts for it when it is not in session

   zoning commission

   a commission delegated to supervise the zoning of areas for residential or commercial use

   jury, panel

   a committee appointed to judge a competition

   vestry

   in the Protestant Episcopal Church: a committee elected by the congregation to work with the churchwardens in managing the temporal affairs of the church

   Commission on Human Rights

   the commission of the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations that is concerned with human rights

   Commission on Narcotic Drugs

   the commission of the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations that is concerned with drug traffic

   Commission on the Status of Women

   the commission of the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations that is concerned with the status of women in different societies

   Economic Commission for Africa

   the commission of the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations that is concerned with economic development of African nations

   Economic Commission for Asia and the Far East

   the commission of the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations that is concerned with economic development of countries in Asia and the Far East

   Economic Commission for Europe

   the commission of the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations that is concerned with economic development in Europe

   Economic Commission for Latin America

   the commission of the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations that is concerned with economic development in Latin America

   Population Commission

   the commission of the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations that is concerned with population control

   Social Development Commission

   the commission of the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations that is concerned with social development

   Statistical Commission

   the commission of the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations that is concerned with statistical data from member nations

   appeal board, appeals board, board of appeals

   a board of officials that are not judicial but are appointed to hear appeals

   board of selectmen

   a board of officials elected to administer the public business of a New England town

   Federal Reserve Board

   the seven-member board governing the Federal Reserve System

   governing board

   a board that manages the affairs of an institution

   Ways and Means Committee

   a permanent committee of the United States House of Representatives that makes recommendations to the US House on all bills that would raise revenue

   board of directors, directorate

   a group of persons chosen to govern the affairs of a corporation or other large institution

   advisory board, planning board

   a board appointed to advise the chief administrator

   draft board

   a board to select personnel for involuntary military service

   board of education, school board

   a board in charge of local public schools

   zoning board

   a board of officials who divide an area into zones that are subject to different restrictions

   type of:

   administrative body, administrative unit

   a unit with administrative responsibilities
2. noun

   a self-constituted organization to promote something
   synonyms: citizens committee

   types:

   vigilance committee

   a volunteer committee to maintain order where an efficient legal system does not exist

   welcoming committee

   a committee to welcome new residents to a community

   type of:

   NGO, nongovernmental organization

   an organization that is not part of the local or state or federal government