Reading Theme:

Language:

Font Size:

📕 rednote ID(小红书号)：3881567312

Commission: Definition, Usage & Key Differences (2 meaning)

Meaning 1：sales-based payment (commission)

commission 🔊

/kəˈmɪʃn/

n./vt.

A payment given to someone, usually based on a percentage of sales they make.

Commission explained: real estate agent showing client a sales percentage chart.

sales-based payment 🔊

➕

/ˈseɪlz beɪst ˈpeɪmənt/

n./vt.

A fee paid to someone, typically calculated as a percentage of the sales or transactions they generate.

📁 Category：Social Economy 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Latin 'committere' (to commit, entrust), via Old French 'commission'.

💡 Mnemonic

Think 'com-' (together) + 'mission' (task); a commission is a task or payment entrusted to someone.

📖 Example

As a real estate agent, she earns a commission for every house she successfully sells. 🔊 This means she receives a portion of the sale price as income for each house sold.

🔗 Collocations

earn a commission – to receive a payment based on sales performance

pay a commission – to give a fee for services rendered

commission rate – the percentage used to calculate the commission amount

🔄 Synonyms

fee (n.) – a payment made for professional services or work done

royalty (n.) – a payment to a creator for each use or sale of their work

percentage (n.) – a share of a total used as a basis for compensation

🚫 Antonyms

salary (n.) – a fixed regular payment, typically paid on a monthly basis

wage (n.) – a fixed payment earned for work, often hourly or weekly

🌱 Derivatives

commissioned (adj.) – officially ordered or authorized for a task

commissioner (n.) – a person appointed to a role on a commission or committee

📖 Cultural Story

Derived from Latin 'committere', meaning to entrust. In English, it evolved to denote both a delegated task and a performance-based payment, widely used in commerce, law, and governance contexts.

Meaning 2：officially assign a task (commission)

commission 🔊

/kəˈmɪʃn/

n./vt.

The act of officially asking someone to do a specific job or task for you.

Commission a task: client and artist shaking hands to authorize a sculpture project.

officially assign a task 🔊

➕

/əˈfɪʃəli əˈsaɪn ə tæsk/

n./vt.

The act of formally asking or authorizing someone to perform a specific job or create something on behalf of another.

📁 Category：Social Roles 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Example

The city council decided to commission a local artist to create a new sculpture for the central park. 🔊 This means the council formally hired the artist to produce the sculpture as a contracted project.

🔗 Collocations

commission a study – to officially request a research or investigation project

commission a work – to order the creation of an artistic or creative piece

commission an officer – to formally appoint someone to a military or official rank

🔄 Synonyms

assign (vt.) – to give someone a specific task or responsibility to complete

delegate (vt.) – to entrust a task or duty to another person

authorize (vt.) – to give official permission or power for an action

🚫 Antonyms

cancel (vt.) – to decide that a planned task or order will not proceed

revoke (vt.) – to officially withdraw or annul an authorization or order

🌱 Derivatives

commissioned (adj.) – having been officially ordered or created for a purpose

commissioner (n.) – a member of a formal group or committee with specific duties