observer

American  

[uhb-zur-ver] / əbˈzɜr vər /

noun

1. someone or something that observes.

2. a delegate to an assembly or gathering, who is sent to observe and report but not to take part officially in its activities.

3. U.S. Air Force.

   1. a member of an aircrew, other than the pilot, holding an aeronautical rating.

   2. a person who maintains observation in an aircraft during flight.

4. 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.

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observer British  

/ əbˈzɜːvə /

noun

1. a person or thing that observes

2. a person who attends a conference solely to note the proceedings

3. a person trained to identify aircraft, esp, formerly, a member of an aircrew

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Other Word Forms

• interobserver
  noun
• observership
  noun

Etymology

Origin of observer

First recorded in 1545–55; observe + -er ¹

Explanation

An observer is someone who watches or pays attention to something — if you're an observer of current events, you probably watch the news and read the newspaper every day to keep up with what's going on. You can be an accidental observer of something, like pedestrians who happen to witness an accident and become observers of it. Another kind of observer is one who notices things deliberately, like political observers who watch and comment on various events. Many newspapers once had the word observer in their names, from this second sense of the word. The verb observe has a Latin root, observare, which means "watch over, note, heed, or attend to."

Example Sentences

To track the spread, researchers relied on community science platforms such as iNaturalist and Mushroom Observer.

From Science Daily • Apr. 24, 2026

A lover of good food, he wrote and illustrated a cartoon cookery strip for the Daily Express, which transferred to The Observer in 1962.

From BBC • Mar. 17, 2026

Before that, Matt covered commercial real estate for Commercial Observer.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 22, 2026

"That afternoon... will never leave me. You don't expect to outlive your children," Yorath told the Observer in 2005.

From Barron's • Jan. 8, 2026

Because he came from Boston and rode for the Observer, he was often questioned about the political thinking at the capital.

From "Johnny Tremain" by Esther Hoskins Forbes

Related Words

• bystander
• onlooker
• viewer
• watcher
• witness