What does deputy mean?
Word: Deputy
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Deputy means the person next in rank to a leader, who takes over the leader's work when needed, as in a deputy head teacher or a deputy mayor.
How do you spell deputy?
Syllables: dep - u - ty
Tricky part: The middle vowel is u. It is said so quickly that it can sound like e or i, which is why depity and depety appear in answers.
Watch out for: depity, depety
Memory tip: When the leader is away, the deputy says, "Leave it to yoU", so a u sits in the middle of the word.
Deputy in a sentence
Example 1: The deputy manager of the bank helped my father open a new savings account.
Example 2: Aditi was chosen as deputy to the head girl, so she helps plan the cultural week.
Example 3: The town's deputy mayor cut the ribbon at the new public library.
Fun Fact
In the UK House of Commons, it is a Deputy Speaker's job to run the House when the Speaker is away.
Practise the CREST Way
Jumble Tumble
Choose the correct sequence of the jumbled letters to form a meaningful word:
puydte 123456
a) 416253
b) 641253
c) 461235
d) 461253
Show answer
d) 461253. Taking the letters in that order spells the word for a leader's second-in-command.
Spell Spies
Choose the incorrectly spelt word:
a) novelty
b) penalty
c) certainty
d) depputy
Show answer
d) depputy. The slip is a doubled p; the second-in-command is written with just one.
Word Tally
You get 2 marks for each misspelt word you find in the list. How many marks do you get?
deputy, comittee, minister, secretery, treasurer
a) 2
b) 6
c) 4
d) 8
Show answer
c) 4. Committee needs a double m and secretary ends in -ary; two misspelt words at 2 marks each make 4.
Spell Probe
Find the misspelt word in the sentence and choose its meaning:
Our deputi head teacher announced that the annual sports day would be held in the second week of December.
a) happening once every year
b) the twelfth month of the year
c) told people officially that something will happen
d) someone who stands in for the person in charge
Show answer
d) someone who stands in for the person in charge. The word that should end in y is the title of the head teacher's second-in-command.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which pair is most like a leader and a deputy?
a) a singer and an audience
b) a captain and a vice-captain
c) a shopkeeper and a customer
d) an author and a reader
Show answer
b) a captain and a vice-captain
2. The deputy principal is taking morning assembly today. What does this most likely tell you?
a) the principal was chosen only this morning
b) the principal is away today
c) the assembly has been called off
d) the school has no teachers this week
Show answer
b) the principal is away today
