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

It added that officers would respond to any concerns from local residents and businesses.

From BBC

Nothing was found in the search before officers removed the battery from his electric bike and told him he could leave.

From BBC

Cdr Helen Flanagan, head of Counter Terrorism Policing London, said officers have been working "continuously" to investigate and identify those responsible for the "appalling attacks".

From BBC

“The new ‘magic number’ reflects a convergence of factors — from persistent inflation and longer life expectancies, to uncertainty about the future of Social Security,” said John Roberts, chief field officer at Northwestern Mutual.

From MarketWatch

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

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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