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

The video shows Liddell, police said, turning around and attacking the officer. —Miguel Torres, The Arizona Republic, 13 Apr. 2024

The officer who shot him was also seen in videos on social media administering CPR to those who had been injured. —Sandi Sidhu, CNN, 13 Apr. 2024

The three correctional officers were transported to an outside hospital. —Rosalio Ahumada, Sacramento Bee, 12 Apr. 2024

The officer opened fire on Laing as the man kicked open the door to his neighbor’s home, according to both the report and the bodycam video. —Nathan Pilling, Kansas City Star, 12 Apr. 2024

One day, Lydia approached her superior officer and laid out the problem. —Bea Hines, Miami Herald, 12 Apr. 2024

The suit also alleges that troopers who were out of favor were for a time placed on lists of officers with credibility problems who could not be called to testify in court. —Paul Egan, Detroit Free Press, 12 Apr. 2024

Patrol officers responding to a 911 call reporting the home invasion arrived to find some of the victims running from the residence, shouting for help, and two others struggling with the intruder outside, trying to hold him down, police said. —City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Apr. 2024

This was the third weekend in a row that Indianapolis police have responded to a mass shooting, prompting more officers to be present downtown. —Alexandra Banner, CNN, 1 Apr. 2024

Verb

The settlement also includes police reforms in Greensboro and the surrounding areas including revisions to Use of Force policies and officer mental health training. —Dateline Nbc, NBC News, 8 Aug. 2022

Dash belonged to officer Jeff Schank, McCubbin said. —Ana Alvarez Brinez, The Courier-Journal, 10 Mar. 2022

Their behavior — like moving quickly or not listening to officer commands — could make officers fearful. —Paighten Harkins, The Salt Lake Tribune, 29 Dec. 2021

The Southern Methodist University Police Department has given a meritorious conduct award to officer Shara Watson who assisted a man who had been struck by a vehicle on Central Expressway in Richardson. —Teri Webster, Dallas News, 28 June 2021

What happened when Jane Doe came forward to police Jane Doe came forward to Milwaukee police in July 2019 and reported to officer Zachary Thoms that Haywood had drugged and raped her five years earlier and recorded it. —Ashley Luthern, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 6 Oct. 2020

The county officers on scene were Deputy Sheriff’s Hammond and Lestock of the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office Uniform Services Division. —Paula Wethington, Detroit Free Press, 26 May 2020

Police have identified the man who officers shot and killed outside ProHealth Waukesha Memorial Hospital on April 15 as Randy S. Ashland, 58. —Elliot Hughes, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 29 Apr. 2020

The incident highlights the challenges that officers face when responding to drag racing in the city with an understaffed police department. —Cassandra Jaramillo, Dallas News, 9 Mar. 2020

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