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

After an officer tries to escort her off the premises, Norma Rae defiantly stands on a workstation in protest and holds up a sign.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

And he said he had enquired after the well-being of the two officers involved during police interview.

Read more on BBC

"We have got somewhere between 8,500 and 10,000 items of evidence in this one room," he says, something that is "the result of house searches and raids" carried out by officers.

Read more on BBC

To understand the story behind the administration’s Russia negotiations, The Wall Street Journal spoke to dozens of officials, diplomats, and former and current intelligence officers from the U.S.,

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Her role as a community behavioral-health specialist involved building relationships, advocating for clients and helping them access essential services, said Marcie Vaughan, Seneca’s president and chief executive officer.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

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