-
- To save this word, you'll need to log in.
petty officer
noun
: a subordinate officer in the navy or coast guard appointed from among the enlisted men compare noncommissioned officer
Examples of petty officer in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In his 20's, the petty officer first class participated in Operation Crossroads in the Pacific Ocean, the first atomic bomb tests since the 1945 nuclear weapon attacks in Japan.
—Claudia Grisales, NPR, 6 May 2024
Coast Guard boats and a helicopter continued to search for survivors Tuesday afternoon, said petty officer Kimberly Reaves, a Coast Guard spokesperson.
—Tom Vanden Brook, USA TODAY, 26 Mar. 2024
Our missing petty officer bought the three-day kidnapping experience.
—EW.com, 4 Mar. 2024
However, another important part of this story is Charles W. David Jr., a young African American Coast Guard petty officer on the escort cutter Comanche, who dove into the freezing waters and helped rescue 93 of 230 survivors.
—Kevin Dayhoff, Baltimore Sun, 14 Feb. 2024
As ensign, Finnegan worked as a division officer, overseeing the work of a crew of seamen and petty officers in a specific division.
—Kylie Martin, Detroit Free Press, 10 Sep. 2023
Matthew West, a petty officer first class with the U.S. Coast Guard, told PolitiFact the same thing.
—Hannah Hudnall, USA TODAY, 31 Aug. 2023
The petty officer, who worked as a construction electrician, is charged in the indictment with conspiracy and receipt of a bribe by a public official.
—Alex Riggins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Aug. 2023
Read full article Get 6 Months of Unlimited Access for $1 USS Constitution Color Guard petty officer Kimberly Watson holds a flag during the Harborfest Opening Ceremony held in Boston’s Downtown Crossing on July 1, 2022.
—Lauren Daley, BostonGlobe.com, 28 June 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'petty officer.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1744, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near petty officer
Cite this Entry
“Petty officer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/petty%20officer. Accessed 17 Jun. 2024.
Kids Definition
petty officer
noun
: an officer in the Navy or Coast Guard appointed from among enlisted personnel
More from Merriam-Webster on petty officer
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share