police officer
Americannoun
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any policeman or policewoman; patrolman or patrolwoman.
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a person having officer rank on a police force.
noun
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.
“We’re educating the public on what these terms are, what they mean, and what to look for,” said Los Angeles police officer Brandon Pon of the West Traffic Division.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2026
"I have come to meet Jesus Christ through the words of the pope," 30-year-old police officer Marta Perez told AFP.
From Barron's • Jun. 7, 2026
The water supply worker had given the police officer CPR when he collapsed on a bus in April 2020, and netted the huge lottery prize shortly after.
From BBC • Jun. 6, 2026
“I want ammunition, too, but I wouldn’t come in and pick your pocket for it,” fumed local resident Lesa Butner, 61, a retired police officer.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 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.
