officer meaning

officer as a noun

1. any person in the armed services who holds a position of authority or command
   • an officer is responsible for the lives of his men

   Synonyms: military officer

   Type of: serviceman

   Kinds: adjutant, army officer, brass hat, chief of staff, commanding officer, commissioned officer, desk officer, executive officer, inspector general, military adviser, naval officer, noncommissioned officer

2. someone who is appointed or elected to an office and who holds a position of trust
   • he is an officer of the court
   • the club elected its officers for the coming year

   Synonyms: officeholder

   Type of: official, holder

   Kinds: probation officer, sergeant at arms

3. a member of a police force
   • it was an accident, officer

   Synonyms: policeman, police officer

   Type of: lawman

   Kinds: bobby, bull, captain, constable, detective, gendarme, inspector, motorcycle cop, police matron, Mountie, shoofly, traffic cop

4. a person authorized to serve in a position of authority on a vessel
   • he is the officer in charge of the ship's engines

   Synonyms: ship's officer

   Type of: mariner

   Kinds: master, mate, privateer, purser, sailing master, steward, supercargo

officer as a verb

1. direct or command as an officer

   Type of: command

How to pronounce officer

officer is pronounced /ˈɒfɪsə/ in British English and /ˈɔfəsɚ/ in American English. It has 3 syllables, with the stress on the first syllable.