officer

[aw-fuh-ser, of-uh-]

noun

1. a person who holds a position of rank or authority in the army, navy, air force, or any similar organization, especially one who holds a commission.

2. a member of a police department or a constable.

3. a person licensed to take full or partial responsibility for the operation of a merchant ship or other large civilian ship; a master or mate.

4. a person appointed or elected to some position of responsibility or authority in the government, a corporation, a society, etc.

5. (in some honorary orders) a member of any rank except the lowest.

6. Obsolete.,  an agent.

verb (used with object)

1. to furnish with officers.

2. to command or direct as an officer does.

3. to direct, conduct, or manage.

officer

/ ˈɒfɪsə /

noun

1. a person in the armed services who holds a position of responsibility, authority, and duty, esp one who holds a commission

2. See police officer

3. (on a non-naval ship) any person including the captain and mate, who holds a position of authority and responsibility

   radio officer

   engineer officer

4. a person appointed or elected to a position of responsibility or authority in a government, society, etc

5. a government official

   a customs officer

6. (in the Order of the British Empire) a member of the grade below commander

verb

1. to furnish with officers

2. to act as an officer over (some section, group, organization, etc)

Other Word Forms

• officerial adjective
• officerless adjective
• officership noun
• officerhood noun
• subofficer noun
• underofficer noun
• unofficered adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of officer¹

1275–1325; Middle English < Anglo-French; Middle French officier < Medieval Latin officiārius, equivalent to Latin offici ( um ) office + -ārius -ary; -er ², -ier ²

Example Sentences

He also promised to recruit an extra 10,000 police officers if the Tories win the next general election.

From BBC

But when officers arrived there were no signs of a shooting and hospital staff said there was no emergency.

From Los Angeles Times

Emma Livingstone is the founder and chief executive officer of charity Up - The Adult Cerebral Palsy Movement.

From BBC

Since seeing her son - an education officer in the Israeli military who was 18 at the time - forced into a jeep and driven away, "fading away into Gaza", she has received no signs of life.

From BBC

Bush to send federal troops to help stop the Los Angeles riots that occurred after police officers were acquitted in the beating of Rodney King.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• agent 
• chief 
• civil servant 
• deputy 
• director 
• executive 
• leader 
• manager 
• official 
• representative