officer

American  

[aw-fuh-ser, of-uh-] / ˈɔ fə sər, ˈɒf ə- /

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.

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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 British  

/ 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

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verb

1. to furnish with officers

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

Other Word Forms

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

Etymology

Origin of officer

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

"There are a number of threats that Iran...potentially could bring to bear against that type of escort mission," said Jonathan Schroden, chief research officer at the Center for Naval Analyses.

From Barron's

Instead, the Admiralty fed information about their system to a naval officer named Frederick Dreyer, who was a capable gunnery officer but not the great inventor he fancied himself to be.

From The Wall Street Journal

“There is a sort of randomness both from a political perspective and then in terms of market reactions to all of this,” said Michael Rosen, chief investment officer at Angeles Investments.

From The Wall Street Journal

Chris Leather, officer in charge of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police’s Criminal Operations in Ontario, called the gunfire a national-security incident.

From The Wall Street Journal

New York City police officers did both of those things last Saturday in foiling an attempted attack allegedly inspired by ISIS.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

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