B1 noun 3 min read

委员会

A committee is a small group of people chosen to make decisions or handle a specific task.

wěiyuánhuì
Practice it

Explanation at your level:

A committee is a group of people. They work together. They make plans for a club or a school. You can be on a committee to help your school.

A committee is a small team. This team has a special job. For example, a party committee plans a party. They meet and talk about what to do.

When an organization needs to solve a problem, they often appoint a committee. This group meets regularly to discuss ideas. Being on a committee is a good way to learn leadership skills.

A committee is a formal body of people designated to perform a specific function. Whether it is a steering committee or a search committee, the goal is to provide a structured approach to decision-making within an organization.

The term committee denotes a deliberative body tasked with oversight or execution. In professional environments, committees are essential for governance, ensuring that diverse perspectives are considered before significant policies are enacted or resources are allocated.

Etymologically derived from the concept of entrustment, a committee represents a delegation of authority. In high-level institutional contexts, the efficacy of a committee is often debated, balancing the necessity of collective wisdom against the risks of bureaucratic inertia or 'design by committee' dilution.

Word in 30 Seconds

  • A committee is a group of people.
  • They are appointed for a specific task.
  • The word has three sets of double letters.
  • It is a formal and professional term.

Hey there! Think of a committee as a specialized team. When a big organization, like a school board or a government, has a massive project to handle, they don't just throw it at everyone. Instead, they pick a smaller, dedicated group—the committee—to focus on that one specific goal.

You will often see committees in businesses, clubs, and governments. Their main job is to deliberate, which is a fancy way of saying they talk things through, look at the facts, and then make a recommendation or a final decision. It’s all about teamwork and focused effort!

The word committee has a fascinating history rooted in the Latin word committere, which means 'to join, connect, or entrust.' It eventually traveled through Old French as comit, referring to a person to whom something is entrusted.

By the 15th century, English speakers started using the term to describe a person or group of people who had been 'entrusted' with a task. Over time, the meaning shifted from an individual to the collective group we recognize today. It is a classic example of how language evolves from describing a relationship to describing an institution.

In English, we use committee when talking about formal or semi-formal settings. You wouldn't usually call your group of friends hanging out on a Friday night a committee—that would sound way too stiff!

Commonly, you will hear phrases like 'the committee met' or 'the committee decided.' It is frequently used with verbs like establish, appoint, or serve on. It’s a very professional term, perfect for boardrooms, academic settings, or local government meetings.

While there aren't many idioms using the word itself, we often use phrases like 'a camel is a horse designed by a committee.' This is a humorous way of saying that when too many people are involved in a design, the result is awkward or ugly.

Another common expression is 'to be on the committee,' which implies you have a formal role. People also say 'the committee is in session,' meaning they are currently meeting and working on their assigned tasks.

Pronunciation is tricky! It is kuh-MIT-ee. Notice the double 'm', double 't', and double 'e'—it’s a spelling nightmare, but a fun one to master. The stress is on the second syllable.

Grammatically, committee is a collective noun. In American English, it is often treated as singular (the committee is), while in British English, it can be treated as plural (the committee are) depending on whether you view the group as a single unit or as individual members.

Fun Fact

The spelling is famous for having three pairs of double letters.

Pronunciation Guide

UK /kəˈmɪt.i/

Sounds like 'kuh-MIT-ee'

US /kəˈmɪt̬.i/

Sounds like 'kuh-MIT-ee' with a flap T

Common Errors

  • Misplacing stress on the first syllable
  • Dropping the final 'e' sound
  • Adding an extra 'n' sound

Rhymes With

pretty jetty sweaty betty netty

Difficulty Rating

Reading 2/5

Easy to read

Writing 3/5

Spelling is tricky

Speaking 2/5

Easy to say

Listening 2/5

Clear sound

What to Learn Next

Prerequisites

group meet work

Learn Next

commission board deliberate

Advanced

bureaucracy governance arbitration

Grammar to Know

Collective Nouns

The committee is/are

Subject-Verb Agreement

The committee meets

Prepositions

Serve on a committee

Examples by Level

1

The committee is meeting now.

Committee = group

Collective noun

2

I am on the committee.

I am a member

Preposition on

3

The committee decided.

They made a choice

Past tense

4

We need a committee.

A group is needed

Article a

5

The committee is small.

Not many people

Adjective

6

Who is on the committee?

Asking for names

Question word

7

The committee works hard.

They are busy

Third person singular

8

Join the committee today.

Become a member

Imperative

1

The committee will meet on Monday.

2

She serves on the planning committee.

3

The committee voted for the new rule.

4

Our committee needs more volunteers.

5

The committee is very busy this week.

6

Who leads the committee?

7

The committee made a final report.

8

He joined the school committee.

1

The committee is responsible for the budget.

2

We formed a committee to address the issue.

3

The committee members are all experts.

4

The committee reached a unanimous decision.

5

He was appointed to the safety committee.

6

The committee's recommendation was accepted.

7

They are waiting for the committee to approve it.

8

The committee meets once a month.

1

The steering committee will oversee the project.

2

The committee is comprised of five members.

3

The committee deliberated for three hours.

4

She chairs the environmental committee.

5

The committee was dissolved after the project.

6

The committee's findings were published today.

7

There is a committee dedicated to quality control.

8

The committee has the final say in this matter.

1

The committee's mandate is to investigate the fraud.

2

The committee is currently in a deadlock.

3

The committee operates under strict confidentiality.

4

The committee's consensus was difficult to achieve.

5

The committee serves as an advisory body.

6

The committee's report was highly critical.

7

The committee was formed to provide oversight.

8

The committee's decision was met with resistance.

1

The committee's deliberations were characterized by intense debate.

2

The committee serves as the primary arbiter of the policy.

3

The committee's recommendations were largely ignored by the board.

4

The committee was tasked with the daunting prospect of reform.

5

The committee's formation was a calculated political move.

6

The committee functions as a microcosm of the organization.

7

The committee's report provides a comprehensive analysis.

8

The committee is a bastion of traditional governance.

Common Collocations

serve on a committee
form a committee
chair a committee
steering committee
advisory committee
committee member
committee meeting
appointed to a committee
committee report
dissolve a committee

Idioms & Expressions

"design by committee"

A product with too many conflicting ideas

The software is a mess; it's classic design by committee.

casual

"put it to the committee"

To ask for a group's approval

I'll put it to the committee and see what they say.

neutral

"committee of the whole"

A meeting where all members attend

The committee of the whole will meet tomorrow.

formal

"serve on the committee"

To be a member

She has served on the committee for years.

neutral

"the committee is out"

The group is still deciding

The committee is still out on the final decision.

casual

Easily Confused

委员会 vs commission

Both are groups

Commission is for specific investigations

The commission investigated the crime.

委员会 vs board

Both are groups

Board is usually higher level

The board of directors met.

委员会 vs panel

Both are groups

Panel is for experts/judges

The panel of experts gave their view.

委员会 vs council

Both are groups

Council is for local government

The city council voted.

Sentence Patterns

A1

The committee + verb

The committee met yesterday.

A2

Subject + serve on + committee

I serve on the committee.

B1

Subject + appoint + committee

They appointed a committee.

B2

The committee + reach + decision

The committee reached a decision.

C1

The committee + be + tasked with

The committee was tasked with the project.

Word Family

Nouns

committal the act of committing

Verbs

commit to pledge or dedicate

Related

commission similar administrative function

How to Use It

frequency

7

Formality Scale

Formal Neutral Casual Slang

Common Mistakes

Spelling as 'comitee' → committee
It needs double m, double t, and double e.
Using 'committee' for a single person → member
A committee is a group, not an individual.
Treating as always plural → singular or plural
Depends on regional dialect (US vs UK).
Confusing with 'commission' → committee
Commissions are usually for official investigations.
Forgetting the 'e' at the end → committee
It ends with a silent 'e'.

Tips

💡

Memory Palace Trick

Imagine a 'committee' of people sitting on a 'tee' (golf tee).

💡

When Native Speakers Use It

Use it when talking about formal groups in work or school.

🌍

Cultural Insight

Committees are the backbone of democratic organizations.

💡

Grammar Shortcut

Remember it's a collective noun.

💡

Say It Right

Focus on the stress on the middle syllable.

💡

Don't Make This Mistake

Don't forget the double letters!

💡

Did You Know?

It has 3 pairs of double letters.

💡

Study Smart

Practice writing it 5 times to remember the spelling.

💡

Professionalism

Use this word to sound more professional in meetings.

💡

Regional Differences

Notice if your teacher uses singular or plural verbs.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Commit-tee: Two M's, two T's, two E's. Remember: 'Commit' to the 'tee'.

Visual Association

A group of people sitting around a T-shaped table.

Word Web

Decision-making Organization Meeting Leadership

Challenge

Try to find the committee members in your school or workplace.

Word Origin

Latin

Original meaning: to entrust

Cultural Context

None, but can imply bureaucracy.

Committees are central to parliamentary and corporate life in the UK and US.

The House Committee on Un-American Activities The Olympic Committee

Practice in Real Life

Real-World Contexts

at work

  • committee meeting
  • serve on the committee
  • report to the committee

at school

  • student committee
  • planning committee
  • join the committee

in government

  • city council committee
  • parliamentary committee
  • investigative committee

in clubs

  • event committee
  • membership committee
  • social committee

Conversation Starters

"Are you currently on any committees?"

"Do you think committees are efficient?"

"What is the best way to run a committee meeting?"

"Have you ever been part of a 'design by committee' project?"

"What makes a good committee member?"

Journal Prompts

Describe a time you worked in a group.

If you could form a committee, what would it be for?

Why do you think committees are important in organizations?

Write about the pros and cons of group decision-making.

Frequently Asked Questions

8 questions

It can be both depending on the context and region.

C-O-M-M-I-T-T-E-E.

A board is usually the highest governing body, while a committee is a smaller subset.

No, it must be a group.

It means a project has too many opinions, making it messy.

Yes, usually 'the committee' or 'a committee'.

Yes, it is used in professional and official contexts.

A smaller committee formed from a larger one.

Test Yourself

fill blank A1

The ___ is meeting in the room.

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: committee

A committee is a group of people.

multiple choice A2

What is a committee?

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: A group of people

It is a collective noun.

true false B1

A committee is always just one person.

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: False

A committee is a group.

match pairs B1

Word

Meaning

All matched!

Roles in a committee.

sentence order B2

Tap words below to build the sentence
Correct! Not quite. Correct answer:

Subject-verb-time.

fill blank C1

The committee's ___ was unanimous.

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: decision

Need a noun here.

multiple choice B2

Which verb fits best with 'committee'?

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: serve on

Serve on is a standard collocation.

true false C1

Committee is spelled with three pairs of double letters.

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: True

M, T, and E.

match pairs C2

Word

Meaning

All matched!

Types of committees.

sentence order C2

Tap words below to build the sentence
Correct! Not quite. Correct answer:

Passive voice.

Score: /10

Related Content

This Word in Other Languages

committee English 委員会 Japanese
Was this helpful?

Comments (0)

Login to Comment
No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!