ombudsman
[ om-buh dz-muh n, -man, -boo dz-, awm-, om-boo dz-muh n, -man, awm- ]
/ ˈɒm bədz mən, -ˌmæn, -bʊdz-, ˈɔm-, ɒmˈbʊdz mən, -ˌmæn, ɔm- /
noun, plural om·buds·men [om-buh dz-muh n, -men, -boo dz-, awm-, om-boo dz-muh n, -men, awm-] /ˈɒm bədz mən, -ˌmɛn, -bʊdz-, ˈɔm-, ɒmˈbʊdz mən, -ˌmɛn, ɔm-/.
a government official who hears and investigates complaints by private citizens against other officials or government agencies.
a person who investigates and attempts to resolve complaints and problems, as between employees and an employer or between students and a university.
Origin of ombudsman
usage note for ombudsman
See
-man.
Words nearby ombudsman
ombro-,
ombrogenous,
ombrophilous,
ombrophobous,
ombu,
ombudsman,
ombudsperson,
ombudswoman,
omdurman,
omega,
omega baryon
Example sentences from the Web for ombudsman
He not only favors New Jersey's civil-unions law, but argued that it should be backed with an ombudsman to enforce it.
A Thinner Chris Christie Still Faces Big Political Challenges |Robert Shrum |May 10, 2013 |DAILY BEAST“If you look at the new media players, not one of them has an ombudsman,” she notes.
Washington Post’s Katharine Weymouth Offers the ‘Story Behind the Story’ |Eleanor Clift |March 10, 2013 |DAILY BEASTThe Post's ombudsman rightly defended his paper's judgement.
Readers who detected it got a chilling confirmation of their suspicions in the December 13 column by Ombudsman Clark Hoyt.
British Dictionary definitions for ombudsman
ombudsman
/ (ˈɒmbʊdzmən) /
noun plural -men
a commissioner who acts as independent referee between individual citizens and their government or its administration
(in Britain) an official, without power of sanction or mechanism of appeal, who investigates complaints of maladministration by members of the public against national or local government or its servants
Formal names: Commissioner for Local Administration, Health Service Commissioner, Parliamentary Commissioner See also Financial Ombudsman
Word Origin for ombudsman
C20: from Swedish: commissioner
Cultural definitions for ombudsman
ombudsman
[ (om-buhdz-muhn, om-boodz-muhn) ]
An official appointed by a government or other organization to investigate complaints against people in authority. This position is designed to give those with less power — the “little people” — a voice in the operation of large organizations.