quartermaster

[ kwawr-ter-mas-ter, -mah-ster ]

/ ˈkwɔr tərˌmæs tər, -ˌmɑ stər /

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noun

Military. an officer charged with providing quarters, clothing, fuel, transportation, etc., for a body of troops.

Navy. a petty officer having charge of signals, navigating apparatus, etc.

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Origin of quartermaster

First recorded in 1400–50, quartermaster is from late Middle English quarter maister. See quarter, master

OTHER WORDS FROM quartermaster

quar·ter·mas·ter·like, adjectivequar·ter·mas·ter·ship, noun

Words nearby quartermaster

quarter-hour, quartering, quarterlife crisis, quarterlight, quarterly, quartermaster, Quartermaster Corps, quartermaster general, quarter-miler, quartern, quarter nelson

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use quartermaster in a sentence

Champlain became a navigator early in life, and was also a quartermaster in the royal army in Brittany, from 1592 to 1598.
The Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents, Vol. II: Acadia, 1612-1614|Various
In a word, he had the gift of a great quartermaster-general rather than of a commander-in-chief.
Napoleon's Marshals|R. P. Dunn-Pattison
In March 1649, a quartermaster named Boutholmey was tried by council of war for uttering impious expressions.
A Cursory History of Swearing|Julian Sharman
I have had very hard work with my returns, and my Quartermaster is getting old.
Letters of Lt.-Col. George Brenton Laurie|George Brenton Laurie

Sir George was busy scanning the country, and pointing out various spots to the Quartermaster-general.
The British Expedition to the Crimea|William Howard Russell

British Dictionary definitions for quartermaster

quartermaster

/ (ˈkwɔːtəˌmɑːstə) /

noun

an officer responsible for accommodation, food, and equipment in a military unit

a rating in the navy, usually a petty officer, with particular responsibility for steering a ship and other navigational duties

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