officer

1 of 2

noun

of·​fi·​cer ˈä-fə-sər 

ˈȯ-

1

a

obsolete : agent

b

: one charged with police duties

2

: one who holds an office of trust, authority, or command

the officers of the bank

chief executive officer

3

a

: one who holds a position of authority or command in the armed forces

specifically : commissioned officer

b

: the master or any of the mates of a merchant or passenger ship

officer

2 of 2

verb

officered; officering; officers

transitive verb

1

: to furnish with officers

2

: to command or direct as an officer

Synonyms

Noun

• bobby [British]
• bull [slang]
• constable [chiefly British]
• cop
• copper
• flatfoot [slang]
• fuzz
• gendarme
• lawman
• policeman
• police officer
• shamus [slang]

Examples of officer in a Sentence

Noun

if you are ever lost, find the nearest officer and ask for help

an officer of the court

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Video of the police response shows officers in riot gear tearing down posters and disassembling tents. —Christopher Cann, USA TODAY, 8 May 2024

Each one drags the viewer through endless human suffering, whether behind the gates of Auschwitz or in a Soviet work camp or even in a Paris atelier where Dior is all but forced to design gowns for the wives of the Nazi officers whose minions are holding his sister, Catherine, captive. —TIME, 8 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, "servant, agent, holder of a civil or ecclesiastical post," borrowed from Anglo-French, borrowed from Medieval Latin officiārius, from Latin officium "duty, office" + -ārius -er entry 2

Verb

derivative of officer entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1648, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing officer

• admissions officer
• attendance officer
• chief executive officer
• chief petty officer
• chief warrant officer
• commanding officer
• commissioned officer
• company officer
• executive officer
• field officer
• flag officer
• flying officer
• general officer
• juvenile officer
• line officer
• master chief petty officer
• master chief petty officer of the coast guard
• master chief petty officer of the navy
• noncommissioned officer
• officer of arms
• peace officer
• petty officer
• petty officer first class
• petty officer second class
• petty officer third class
• pilot officer
• police officer
• press officer
• probation officer
• public officer
• returning officer
• senior chief petty officer
• staff officer
• truant officer
• warrant officer

Kids Definition

officer

noun

of·​fi·​cer

ˈäf-ə-sər,

ˈȯf-

1

: a person given the responsibility of enforcing the law

a police officer

2

: a person who holds an office

an officer of the company

3

: a person who holds a commission in the armed forces

Legal Definition

officer

noun

of·​fic·​er

1

: one charged with administering or enforcing the law

a police officer

2

: one who holds an office of trust, authority, or command

the directors, officers, employees, and shareholders of a corporation

3

: one who holds a position of authority or command in the armed forces