observer
Americannoun
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someone or something that observes.
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a delegate to an assembly or gathering, who is sent to observe and report but not to take part officially in its activities.
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U.S. Air Force.
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a member of an aircrew, other than the pilot, holding an aeronautical rating.
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a person who maintains observation in an aircraft during flight.
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Also called air observer,. Also called aircraft observer. U.S. Army. a person who serves in an aircraft as a reconnoiterer and directs artillery fire.
Other Word Forms
- interobserver noun
- observership noun
Etymology
Origin of observer
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In the Middle East, the Vatican said Pope Leo had turned down Trump’s invitation to join his Board of Peace last month, even as an observer.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 21, 2026
That was the moment I stopped being only an observer.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 11, 2026
The untrained observer might also wonder why private companies with shareholders wouldn’t try to maximize profits by charging as much as they could.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 10, 2026
On both occasions, Beijing has been left on the sidelines as an observer, incapable of helping those within its orbit.
From BBC • Mar. 5, 2026
The figures, from left to right, are the astronomers Hipparchus, Copernicus, an anonymous ancient observer, Brahe and Ptolemy, each surrounded by symbols of his work.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
