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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Other Word Forms

• interobserver noun
• observership noun

Etymology

Origin of observer

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

Example Sentences

And then when I met him, I realized as a filmmaker he was like a director version of the central character of the film — kind, honest, generous, a really great observer.

From Los Angeles Times

The speed, and apparent ease, with which Maduro was removed and Rodríguez installed led some observers to speculate that the former vice president might have been in on the plan.

From BBC

DuPont regularly beat the S&P 500 before its restructuring began, though many market observers have noted that the index’s recent surge has been due to the run-up in share prices of tech companies.

From The Wall Street Journal

Attractions could be startling, scary, even terrifying—whatever it took for customers to feel more like participants in blockbuster movies than observers of the filmmaking process.

From The Wall Street Journal

Alphabet shares rose 66% in 2025, buoyed by excitement around artificial intelligence, including the company’s own Gemini AI model, and a less severe federal antitrust ruling against Google than some observers feared.

From Barron's

Related Words

• bystander
• onlooker
• viewer
• watcher
• witness