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deputy (n.)

c. 1400, "subordinate officer, one given the full power of an officer without holding the office," from Anglo-French deputé, noun use of past-participle of Old French députer "appoint, assign" (14c.), from Late Latin deputare "to destine, allot," in classical Latin "to esteem, consider, consider as," literally "to cut off, prune," from de- "away" (see de-) + putare "to think, count, consider," literally "to cut, prune," from PIE root *pau- (2) "to cut, strike, stamp."

Meaning "person appointed or elected to act in the place of another or others" is from 1769.

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Definitions of deputy from WordNet

deputy (n.)
someone authorized to exercise the powers of sheriff in emergencies;
Synonyms: deputy sheriff
deputy (n.)
an assistant with power to act when his superior is absent;
Synonyms: lieutenant
deputy (n.)
a member of the lower chamber of a legislative assembly (such as in France);
deputy (n.)
a person appointed to represent or act on behalf of others;
Synonyms: surrogate
From wordnet.princeton.edu