officer

officer — noun

1. someone serving in the army, navy, or air force whose rank gives them the right

1.nounB2
Definition

someone serving in the army, navy, or air force whose rank gives them the right to give orders to lower-ranking soldiers or sailors; also used for senior crew members on a cargo ship or cruise liner.

Example

Captain Mendez was the youngest officer ever to lead a tank battalion.

title + officer naming a specific military rank

Naval officers stood at attention as the ambassador walked across the deck.

plural collocation: naval officers

Common collocations
  • commanding officer
  • commissioned officer
  • naval officer
  • army officer
  • junior officer
  • first officer
Synonyms
  • commander

    stresses the authority to lead a unit, not just rank

  • lieutenant

    a specific junior rank, not a general term

Antonyms

Usage Note

Often appears with a rank or branch as a modifier (army officer, naval officer, junior officer, commanding officer). Distinguish from sense 3: a military officer outranks ordinary soldiers, while a police officer is simply any member of the force, regardless of rank.

Common Mistakes

My uncle is an officer soldier in the navy.
My uncle is a naval officer.
don't pair 'officer' with 'soldier'; choose one term.

2. someone chosen or appointed to take charge of a particular area of work in a com

2.nounB1
Definition

someone chosen or appointed to take charge of a particular area of work in a company, government department, club, or other group, often with a job title that ends in 'officer' (such as press officer or finance officer).

Example

Dr. Tanaka was elected officer of the regional medical association last spring.

elected + officer (society / association role)

The bank's new chief financial officer cut spending by twenty percent.

compound title: chief financial officer (CFO)

Common collocations
  • chief executive officer
  • press officer
  • customs officer
  • training officer
  • elected officer
  • public relations officer
Synonyms
  • official

    stresses formal authority, often in government

  • executive

    senior business role; usually higher than ordinary officer

  • administrator

    manages day-to-day work rather than holding a named office

Antonyms
  • member

    an ordinary participant with no special role

Usage Note

Frequently forms compound job titles: chief executive officer, public relations officer, training officer, customs officer. Subject is typically an institution (a bank, a club, a charity) rather than the armed forces. Distinguish from sense 1, where the authority comes from a military rank rather than a job appointment.

Common Mistakes

She is officer of the company.
She is an officer of the company.
countable noun; don't drop the article.

3. any man or woman whose job is to keep public order and arrest people who break t

3.nounB1
Definition

any man or woman whose job is to keep public order and arrest people who break the law; also used on its own when speaking directly to such a person, as in 'Sorry, officer, what's wrong?'

Example

Two officers in dark uniforms knocked on Sofia's door at midnight.

plural: officers used for police without 'police' before it

Officer Chen helped the lost child find her grandmother in the park.

title before name: Officer + surname

Common collocations
  • police officer
  • patrol officer
  • uniformed officer
  • off-duty officer
  • arresting officer
Synonyms
  • cop

    informal, mostly American spoken English

  • constable

    British, lower-ranking police officer

  • patrolman

    older American term, dated outside news writing

Antonyms
  • civilian

    any ordinary person without police or military authority

Usage Note

Often shortened from 'police officer'. Used as a polite form of address to any uniformed police, regardless of rank. Distinguish from sense 1: a police officer is not a military rank, even though both involve uniforms and authority.

Common Mistakes

I called the officers and reported the theft.
I called the police and reported the theft.
when calling the service, say 'the police'; use 'officer(s)' for an individual person.

officer — verb

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/3

All four words refer to a person whose job is to enforce the law, but they differ sharply in register and region. 'Officer' is the standard, neutral word and works in news, formal writing, and as a polite form of address: 'Excuse me, officer.' 'Cop' is informal and mainly American; it sounds natural in everyday talk but out of place in court documents or official letters. 'Constable' is chiefly British and names a specific junior rank, so a senior detective is not a constable. 'Policeman' is gender-marked and now feels dated, especially in writing aimed at international readers; many newsrooms have switched to 'officer' or 'police officer' instead. Quick test: when in doubt, use 'officer' — it fits both spoken and written English.

officer ↗cop ↗constable ↗policeman ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • army officer
  • naval officer
  • police officer
  • chief executive officer
  • press officer
  • training officer
  • customs officer
  • probation officer

Adverbs

Phrases

  • officer of the court
  • officer in charge
  • commanding officer
  • officer on duty

Prepositions

  • of (an organization)
  • in (the army / navy / police)
  • by (passive: officered by)

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchMiddle EnglishModern English

'Officer' came into English in the 1300s from Old French 'officier', which itself grew out of Latin 'officium' meaning 'duty, service, or a job to be done'. At first the word named anyone who carried out an official duty, especially for the church or the king. Military and naval senses grew strong from the 1500s, as armies became more organized and ranks became formal. The police sense is much later, dating from the 1800s, when modern police forces were set up in Britain and the United States. The verb 'to officer' (to provide a unit with officers) appeared around the same time, mostly in military writing.