chairman

From chair +‎ -man

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈtʃɛːmən/

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chairman (plural chairmen)

1. A person presiding over a meeting.
2. The head of a corporate or governmental board of directors, a committee, or other formal entity.
3. (historical) Someone whose job is to carry people in a portable chair, sedan chair, or similar conveyance.
   • 1749, Henry Fielding, Tom Jones, Folio Society, published 1973, page 618:

     Mr Western entered; but not before a small wrangling bout had passed between him and his chairmen; for the fellows, who had taken up their burden at the Hercules Pillars, had conceived no hopes of having any future good customer in the squire […]

   • 1836, Charles Dickens, The Pickwick Papers:

     Mr. Winkle, catching sight of a lady's face at the window of the sedan, turned hastily round, plied the knocker with all his might and main, and called frantically upon the chairman to take the chair away again.

• Historically this term denoted a man, but it is now also used for women.

• chairwoman

• chair, chairperson
• presiding officer, presider

• vice chairman, vice-chairman

chairman (third-person singular simple present chairmans, present participle chairmanning, simple past and past participle chairmanned)

1. To serve as chairman.

• Charmian