public officer

noun

: a person who has been legally elected or appointed to office and who exercises governmental functions

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web His various charges included DUI, burglary, drug possession, resisting a public officer and domestic battery. Nardine Saadstaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 23 Dec. 2022 Upon release from the hospital, Torp was booked into Maricopa County Jail and faces one count of assault, offenses against a public officer and one unnamed charge. Kye Graves, The Arizona Republic, 9 Dec. 2022 Bloed was also charged with five counts of assault by a public officer; three counts of seeking bribes; one count of providing compensation for prostitution; and two counts of unauthorized use of computer services, according to the complaint. Tim Stelloh, NBC News, 12 Nov. 2022 Solo was charged with a DWI, a misdemeanor child abuse and resisting a public officer. Analis Bailey, USA TODAY, 2 Nov. 2022 Jerardson Roshad Mackey, 33, was arrested on a felony charge of impersonating a public officer or employee, the Acworth Police Department announced in a statement Wednesday. Matt Bruce, ajc, 28 July 2022 Robert Malone, who is white and still worked for the Atlanta Police Department when the May 5 encounter occurred, was also accused of violation of oath by a public officer, cruelty to children and possession of a firearm, jail records show. Tim Stelloh, NBC News, 3 Sep. 2022 Crowder now faces four counts of violation of oath by a public officer, four counts of items prohibited for possession by inmates and one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Landon Mion, Fox News, 3 Aug. 2022 Both men are charged with bribery, trading with inmates without consent of the warden or superintendent, items prohibited for possession by inmates and violation of oath of a public officer. Landon Mion, Fox News, 3 Aug. 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'public officer.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

First Known Use

1606, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of public officer was in 1606

Dictionary Entries Near public officer

Cite this Entry

“Public officer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/public%20officer. Accessed 23 Mar. 2023.

Legal Definition

public officer

noun
: a person who has been elected or appointed to a public office
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!


Which Came First?

  • baby chick with a brown egg
  • hot take or cold shoulder?
Spell It

Hear a word and type it out. How many can you get right?

TAKE THE QUIZ
Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can with using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.

Can you make 12 words with 7 letters?

PLAY