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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.

But when a man who appeared to be a Mumbai police officer appeared on video, he and his wife followed every instruction.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 30, 2026

I told him I felt like I was in over my head and mentioned that my husband was a police officer who would be home in 20 minutes.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 25, 2026

He has recounted youthful dreaming of becoming a police officer like his father.

From Barron's • Mar. 25, 2026

Gabby first caught Covid on New Year's Day in 2021 at the same time as her husband, Darren, who at the time was a serving police officer in North Yorkshire.

From BBC • Mar. 23, 2026

Their young son had just started driving and became very nervous when the police officer approached him.

From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson

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.