chairperson

chairperson — noun

1. a person who is in charge of a meeting, committee, or organization, making sure

1.nounB2
Definition

a person who is in charge of a meeting, committee, or organization, making sure discussions run smoothly and that everyone can express their views.

Example

The chairperson called the meeting to order at exactly nine o'clock.

collocation: call the meeting to order

After a long debate, the chairperson asked the committee to vote on the proposal.

passive: be asked by the chairperson to do something

Common collocations
  • elect a chairperson
  • appoint a chairperson
  • serve as chairperson
  • act as chairperson
  • chairperson of [committee / organisation / board]
  • outgoing chairperson
  • incoming chairperson
  • vice chairperson
  • deputy chairperson
Synonyms
  • chair

    shorter, less formal; used in everyday workplace and academic settings

  • chairman

    traditionally used for men; still common in some formal contexts despite being gender-specific

  • moderator

    specifically used for debates, panel discussions, or online forums rather than standing committees

  • presiding officer

    more formal; often used in parliamentary or legal contexts rather than for routine meetings

Antonyms
  • participant

    someone who takes part in a meeting without leading it

  • attendee

    a person who is present at an event but has no leading or organising role

Usage Note

Chairperson is a gender-neutral alternative to chairman or chairwoman. It is widely used in formal and official contexts, especially in organizations that want to avoid gender-specific job titles. In less formal settings, chair is also common. Some organisations still use chairman regardless of gender; check the preference of the group you are addressing.

Common Mistakes

She was elected chairman of the committee.' (when the person is a woman and the group prefers gender-neutral language).
She was elected chairperson of the committee.
Chairperson is the gender-neutral alternative; use it unless the organisation officially uses chairman or chairwoman.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words refer to someone who leads a meeting or group, but they differ in formality and gender specificity. Chair is the shortest and most neutral option; it is widely used in everyday workplace English and carries no gender implications. Chairman is the oldest term but implies a male holder; some organisations use it regardless of gender, though this is becoming less common. Moderator is narrower: it describes someone who keeps a debate, panel discussion, or online forum on track rather than managing a standing committee's ongoing business. Presiding officer is the most formal and is typically restricted to parliamentary procedure, courts, or high-level legislative meetings. For general use in modern English, chair or chairperson are the safest choices.

chair ↗chairman ↗moderator ↗presiding officer

Etymology

EnglishModern coinage (1970s)

Chairperson was formed in the 1970s as a gender-neutral alternative to chairman. The word combines chair (referring to the position of authority at a meeting, from Latin cathedra meaning 'seat') with person (from Latin persona meaning 'individual'), replacing man to avoid implying that only men could hold the role. It gained widespread use in official and organisational language from the 1980s onward.