commission
A commission is an official order for someone to do a specific job or a payment given to a salesperson for making a sale.
Explanation at your level:
A commission is a job. If you do a special job for someone, they pay you. Sometimes, you get money when you sell things. This is a commission.
In business, a commission is money you get for selling a product. For example, if you sell a car, you get 5% of the price. It is also a group of people who work together to study a problem.
You can use 'commission' as a verb or a noun. To 'commission' someone means to order a piece of art or a report. As a noun, it refers to the percentage of a sale or the official group assigned to a task.
The word carries nuance in professional contexts. It implies a formal agreement or authority. Distinguish between 'earning a commission' (sales) and 'being commissioned' (hired for a project). It is a staple of business English.
Commission functions as a pivot point between administrative authority and commercial incentive. In art history, it denotes patronage. In politics, it refers to regulatory bodies. Understanding the distinction between the act of commissioning and the monetary commission is key for advanced fluency.
Etymologically, commission reflects the delegation of power. In high-level discourse, it can refer to the 'commissioning' of officers in the military, a tradition dating back centuries. Its usage spans from the technical (sales percentage) to the institutional (a state commission), requiring precise contextual awareness to avoid ambiguity.
Mot en 30 secondes
- A formal request for work.
- A group of people with a task.
- A percentage of a sale.
- Can be a verb or a noun.
Hey there! Think of commission as a word with three distinct 'personalities.' First, it’s about authority—like a group of people (a commission) chosen to solve a big problem.
Second, it’s about creation. If a museum asks an artist to paint a masterpiece, they have given that artist a commission. It’s a formal request for work!
Finally, it’s about money. If you sell a house for a real estate agent, you might get a cut of the total price. That reward is your commission. It’s a very common term in business and art worlds.
The word commission has a long, fancy history. It comes from the Latin word commissio, which means 'a putting together' or 'a charge.' It evolved through Old French before landing in English.
Originally, it was all about being 'sent' or 'entrusted' with a task. By the 15th century, it began to describe the document that gave someone official power. It’s fascinating how it shifted from just 'being sent' to 'being paid' as commerce grew in the 18th century.
You'll hear this word in professional settings most often. We say 'to earn a commission' when talking about sales, or 'to commission a work' when talking about art.
Watch out for the preposition 'on'—you usually earn a commission on a sale. If you are part of a group, you are 'on a commission.' Keep it formal; it's rarely used in casual slang.
1. Out of commission: Not working or broken. 'My car is out of commission until next week.'
2. In commission: Currently in use or working. 'The ship is back in commission.'
3. Commission of inquiry: A formal group investigating a problem.
4. Take a commission: To accept a fee for a service.
5. High commission: A diplomatic office representing a country.
The plural is commissions. It is a countable noun. Pronounced /kəˈmɪʃ.ən/ in both US and UK English.
Stress falls on the second syllable: kuh-MISH-un. It rhymes with submission, transmission, and omission. Remember that double 's' in the middle!
Fun Fact
It was originally used to describe the act of committing a crime before it became a business term!
Pronunciation Guide
kuh-MISH-un
kuh-MISH-un
Common Errors
- Forgetting the double s
- Misplacing the stress
- Pronouncing the 'i' as 'ee'
Rhymes With
Difficulty Rating
Moderate
Moderate
Moderate
Moderate
What to Learn Next
Prerequisites
Learn Next
Avanc
Grammar to Know
Noun Countability
A commission, two commissions.
Preposition Usage
Commission on sales.
Verb Patterns
Commission someone to do.
Examples by Level
He got a commission for the sale.
He earned money from the sale.
Noun usage.
The commission is meeting today.
She earns a commission.
They gave him a commission.
The commission is large.
Is the commission fair?
I need my commission.
He works on commission.
She received a high commission for the house sale.
The government formed a new commission.
He was commissioned to paint the wall.
The sales team works on commission.
The commission will report next month.
I earned a small commission today.
They set up a commission to study the problem.
She is a member of the commission.
The artist was commissioned to create a statue.
He earns a commission of ten percent on every sale.
The commission recommended new safety laws.
She is serving on a commission for urban planning.
The company pays a generous sales commission.
He was commissioned as an officer.
The commission's report was very detailed.
They decided to put the old machine out of commission.
The royal family commissioned a portrait of the Queen.
The commission of inquiry found evidence of corruption.
He works on a commission basis, which is risky.
The commission was tasked with investigating the accident.
She has been commissioned to write a book on history.
The ship was officially put into commission last year.
He takes a small commission for his consulting work.
The European Commission sets trade policies.
The museum commissioned a series of contemporary works.
The commission's findings were met with public skepticism.
He was commissioned to lead the investigation.
The sales agent receives a commission on top of a base salary.
The commission was established by a royal decree.
She has a commission to design the new city park.
The committee acts as a commission for environmental standards.
He was put out of commission by a sudden illness.
The architect was commissioned by the state to design the monument.
A commission was appointed to oversee the transition of power.
The sales representative relies heavily on commission-based income.
The work was commissioned during the Renaissance period.
The commission of a new vessel is a significant naval ceremony.
He was commissioned into the infantry after graduation.
The commission of the crime was documented by witnesses.
The agency operates under the commission of the federal government.
Synonymes
Antonymes
Collocations courantes
Idioms & Expressions
"out of commission"
Not working
My laptop is out of commission.
neutral"in commission"
Working/In use
The bridge is back in commission.
formal"take a commission"
Accept a job for money
I will take a commission for that design.
professional"commission of inquiry"
Official investigative group
The commission of inquiry starts today.
formal"high commission"
Diplomatic office
I visited the high commission.
formalEasily Confused
Both are groups
Commission is a task-force; committee is a group of members.
The commission investigated; the committee voted.
Sounds similar
Omission is leaving something out.
The commission noted the omission.
Sounds similar
Permission is consent.
I need permission to join the commission.
Sounds similar
Submission is handing something in.
The submission to the commission was late.
Sentence Patterns
Subject + commission + object
They commissioned a new statue.
Earn + commission + on + object
I earn a commission on sales.
Be + out of commission
The car is out of commission.
Form + a + commission
They will form a commission.
Serve + on + a + commission
She serves on a commission.
Famille de mots
Nouns
Verbs
Adjectives
Apparenté
How to Use It
7/10
Formality Scale
Erreurs courantes
Commission is a percentage, salary is fixed.
Omission means to omit; commission is to commit/order.
Needs double 's' and double 'm'.
Use 'on' for the source of the money.
It is frequently used as a noun.
Tips
Memory Palace Trick
Imagine a 'mission' you are 'committing' to.
When Native Speakers Use It
Use it when talking about sales or official groups.
Cultural Insight
Governments use commissions to investigate problems.
Grammar Shortcut
Always use 'a' or 'the' before commission.
Say It Right
Focus on the 'MISH' sound.
Don't Make This Mistake
Don't confuse it with 'committee'—a commission is the task/group, committee is just the people.
Did You Know?
The word is centuries old!
Study Smart
Write 3 sentences: one for sales, one for art, one for groups.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Comm-ission: I 'commit' to the 'mission' of the group.
Visual Association
A person painting a portrait for a client with a bag of money next to them.
Word Web
Défi
Try to use 'commission' in a sentence about your dream job today!
Origine du mot
Latin
Original meaning: A putting together or charge
Contexte culturel
None, standard professional term.
Used heavily in UK and US politics (e.g., The 9/11 Commission).
Practice in Real Life
Real-World Contexts
Sales
- earn a commission
- sales commission
- commission rate
Art
- commission a work
- custom commission
- artist commission
Government
- commission of inquiry
- royal commission
- official commission
General
- out of commission
- in commission
- set up a commission
Conversation Starters
"Have you ever worked on a commission basis?"
"Do you think government commissions are effective?"
"If you could commission an artist, what would you ask for?"
"Have you ever had something go 'out of commission'?"
"What is the best way to earn a commission?"
Journal Prompts
Write about a time you had to work for a commission.
If you were in charge of a commission, what problem would you investigate?
Describe an object that is currently 'out of commission' in your life.
Why do you think artists rely on commissions?
Questions fréquentes
8 questionsNo, it is usually a percentage of sales.
Yes, e.g., 'They commissioned the artist.'
The person leading a commission.
Yes, you can have many commissions.
It can mean the 'commission of a crime,' but this is rare.
C-O-M-M-I-S-S-I-O-N.
Yes, it is common in professional contexts.
Broken or not working.
Teste-toi
He earns a ___ on every sale.
Commission is the money earned from sales.
What is a commission?
It can be a group tasked with a duty.
A commission is always a fixed salary.
Commission is usually a percentage of sales.
Word
Signification
Matching terms to definitions.
Standard subject-verb structure.
Score : /5
Summary
A commission is an official order, a group task, or a sales reward.
- A formal request for work.
- A group of people with a task.
- A percentage of a sale.
- Can be a verb or a noun.
Memory Palace Trick
Imagine a 'mission' you are 'committing' to.
When Native Speakers Use It
Use it when talking about sales or official groups.
Cultural Insight
Governments use commissions to investigate problems.
Grammar Shortcut
Always use 'a' or 'the' before commission.
Exemple
He earned a small commission for selling the vintage car to a collector.
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