Person appointed or authorized to act as a substitute for another (noun)
Looking for the answer to the USA Today Rootonym clue “Person appointed or authorized to act as a substitute for another (noun)”? The solution is DEPUTY, a 6-letter word built on the root PUT (“think, reckon, consider”). It appeared in the July 27, 2026 (Monday) USA Today Rootonym. See the full puzzle for that day's other words.
Answer
DEPUTY
**PUT*PUTmeans “think, reckon, consider”
In a sentence
When the sheriff went on vacation, his DEPUTY assumed departmental responsibilities.
About this clue
The Rootonym clue “Person appointed or authorized to act as a substitute for another (noun)” has the answer DEPUTY (6 letters), built on the root PUT, which means “think, reckon, consider”. Browse the full July 27, 2026 Rootonym puzzle for the other three words, or see all Rootonym answers.