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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.

Former Metropolitan police officer Michael Fanone, who suffered a heart attack on Jan. 6, 2021 after being shot with a stun gun by a rioter, felt betrayed by the DOJ’s reversal.

From Salon • Apr. 15, 2026

Ramagem, 53, is a former police officer who commanded Brazil's main intelligence agency, ABIN, under Bolsonaro.

From Barron's • Apr. 13, 2026

I never would have become a police officer if it wasn’t for you.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026

“Her whereabouts are absolutely unknown,” a police officer told the Star-Telegram.

From Slate • Apr. 6, 2026

“Shelters? There are none around here that I know of,” a Los Angeles police officer told a desperate caller.

From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin

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.