commissar

Where does the word "commissar" come from? It comes from Russian komissar, and was adopted directly into English (1917).

Commissar’s story begins in Russian: komissar meant “Soviet government head of department.” From German Kommissar (Medieval Latin commissarius 'one entrusted'); Lenin's first government of November 1917 was the Council of People's Commissars, a title Trotsky recalled choosing to avoid the word 'minister'. It reached English by 1917 as commissar. Also meant the Red Army's political officers, who from 1918 co-signed commanders' orders to guarantee their loyalty. Today, commissar means a Communist Party official, especially a political officer in the Red Army.

1. Stage 1 · Russian · 1917 komissar "Soviet government head of department", from German Kommissar (Medieval Latin commissarius 'one entrusted'); Lenin's first government of November 1917 was the Council of People's Commissars, a title Trotsky recalled choosing to avoid the word 'minister'.
2. Stage 2 · English · 1917 commissar "Communist official", also meant the Red Army's political officers, who from 1918 co-signed commanders' orders to guarantee their loyalty.