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

They were officers dispatched by a concerned counselor who misinterpreted his factually accurate answer as a statement of intent.

From Los Angeles Times

Block is well-known as the founder and chief executive officer of Muddy Waters Capital, a hedge fund and investment research firm, with a string of successful bearish bets to his name.

From MarketWatch

The group under its new chief executive officer, Diana Layfield, now intends to double down on its profitable U.K. business and pivot into Europe.

From The Wall Street Journal

We reject his characterisation of our processes and party officers.

From BBC

"We'll have to monitor those feisty cumulus clouds and potentially a few showers and breezes as well," Mark Burger, the launch weather officer, said Tuesday.

From Barron's

Related Words

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