Commitee vs. Committee: Which is Correct?

If you are looking for the correct spelling, here it is: Committee is the only correct spelling in standard English.

The word requires two "m"s, two "t"s, and two "e"s (C-O-M-M-I-T-T-E-E). Spelling it as "commitee" with a single "t" is universally considered a grammatical error in professional, academic, and casual writing. If you struggle with this word, you are not alone—it is one of the most frequently misspelled words in the American English language due to its unusual double-letter pattern.

Notice how the prefix "com-" ends in "m" and the root "mit" begins with "m", creating the double "m". The root "mit" ends in "t", which assimilates with the suffix to create the double "t".

To understand why the double letters exist, we have to look at Latin and French. The word comes from the Latin verb committere, which translates to "to entrust" or "to bring together." It is built from the prefix com- (meaning "with" or "together") and the root mittere (meaning "to send").

When the word entered English from French in the 15th century, it was spelled 'comite' to match the French pronunciation. However, English scholars soon began adding the double 'm' and double 't' back in to reflect its Latin origins, a process known as etymological spelling.

The suffix '-ee' was added to denote the people who were entrusted with the task. Thus, the word ultimately sealed its fate as 'committee', retaining the double 'm' from the prefix, the double 't' from the Latin root's past participle, and the double 'e' from the French suffix.

• Form a committee
• Committee meeting
• Steering committee
• Advisory committee
• Committee member
• Chair of the committee

In daily conversation, "committee" is often used when talking about school, neighborhood, or event planning groups. For example, telling a friend, "I'm on the prom committee" or "The neighborhood committee is complaining about the parking." It is a standard word for organized group efforts.

• The prom committee spent weeks decorating the gymnasium.
• She joined the neighborhood watch committee to improve local safety.
• The winter festival committee is looking for volunteers.
• The parent-teacher committee organized the annual bake sale.
• The welcoming committee greeted the new neighbors with a pie.

In academic writing, "committee" is frequently used to describe the governing or oversight bodies of universities and research institutions. For instance, "The university's ethics committee approved the study." It shows a formal, structured group overseeing a specific domain.

• The hospital's ethics committee debated the controversial procedure.
• The university's tenure committee reviewed the professor's application.
• The committee aims to ensure transparency in all organizational matters.
• The peer review committee evaluates submitted academic papers.
• The rules committee proposed an amendment to the bylaws.

In business emails, "committee" is a cornerstone of corporate governance language. Saying "The steering committee will review the proposal" sounds much more formal and authoritative than "The bosses will look at it." It implies a structured, multi-person evaluation process.

• The executive committee approved the budget for the new quarter.
• A special committee was formed to investigate the data breach.
• Our safety committee conducts monthly building inspections.
• He chairs the marketing committee for the upcoming product launch.
• The grievance committee will review your formal complaint.