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Synonyms

police officer

American  
[puh-lees aw-fuh-ser, of-uh-] / pəˈlis ˌɔ fə sər, ˌɒf ə- /

noun

  1. any policeman or policewoman; patrolman or patrolwoman.

  2. a person having officer rank on a police force.

police officer British  

noun

  1. Often (esp as form of address) shortened to: officer.  a member of a police force, esp a constable; policeman

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of police officer

First recorded in 1790–1800

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.

Wai had been a Metropolitan Police officer between 2015 and 2019, before joining UK Border Force in 2020, and he was a volunteer Special Constable with the City of London Police.

From BBC • Mar. 6, 2026

Nicky Perfect spent over 30 years as a Metropolitan Police officer, including 10 years as an international hostage and crisis negotiator, in the elite New Scotland Yard Hostage and Crisis Negotiation Unit.

From BBC • Jan. 21, 2026

Police officer Larry DePrimo was walking the beat and saw a homeless man standing barefoot on the sidewalk.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 1, 2026

"When I heard he was a Metropolitan Police officer, the words I have always used were 'God help anyone with him with a warrant card'," she told jurors during this latest trial.

From BBC • Nov. 20, 2025

In our top story tonight, investigators say a fire at the home of former Atlanta Police officer Garrett Tison was deliberately set.

From "Dear Martin" by Nic Stone

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.