What does "officer" mean?
One who has a position of authority in a hierarchical organization, especially in military, police or government organizations.
Officer
/ˈɒf.ɪ.sə/ name, noun, verb, slang
name, noun, verb, slang ·Common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: One who has a position of authority in a hierarchical organization, especially in military, police or government organizations.
- Grammar: officer is listed as name, noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: officeholder, adc, administer, administration.
- Useful contrasts: nl privé, private soldier, pt privado.
- Usage evidence: The guild leader relegated Vince to a lesser officer because he was abusing his power.
How to use "officer"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "officer" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "officer" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "officer" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "officer" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "officer" is acting as name, noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "officeholder" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "officer", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 One who has a position of authority in a hierarchical organization, especially in military, police or government organizations.
"Huerta was arrested while law enforcement officers were executing a federal search warrant at a Los Angeles business suspected of hiring illegal immigrants and falsifying employment papers, a special agent for Homeland Security Investigations, which is part of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, wrote in a federal court filing. […] A law enforcement officer approached Huerta and told him to leave, then put his hands on Huerta to move him out of the way of a vehicle, the agent wrote."
- 2 any person in the armed services who holds a position of authority or command wordnet
- 3 A respectful term of address for an officer, especially a police officer.
"Nothing was too small to receive attention, if a supervising eye could suggest improvements likely to conduce to the common welfare. Mr. Gordon Burnage, for instance, personally visited dust-bins and back premises, accompanied by a sort of village bailiff, going his round like a commanding officer doing billets."
- 4 someone who is appointed or elected to an office and who holds a position of trust wordnet
- 5 One who holds a public office.
Show 4 more definitions
- 6 a person authorized to serve in a position of authority on a vessel wordnet
- 7 An agent or servant imparted with the ability, to some degree, to act on initiative.
"Early in the Talmudic period the service was divided between two officers. One was invited to recite the Shema including the benedictions connected with it... After he was through, another man was invited to stand up before the pulpit facing the direction of Jerusalem to recite the prayer proper, i.e., the Amida."
- 8 a member of a police force wordnet
- 9 A commissioned officer. colloquial
Verb
- 1 To supply with officers. transitive
- 2 direct or command as an officer wordnet
- 3 To command as or like an officer. transitive
"Many of our journals are officered by Irish gentlemen, and their gallant brigade does the penning among us, as their ancestors used to transact the fighting in Europe; and engage under many a flag, to be good friends when the battle is over."
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname.
- 2 A suburb of Melbourne in the Shire of Cardinia, Victoria, Australia
Antonyms
nl privéprivate soldierpt privadothe private
Example
"The guild leader relegated Vince to a lesser officer because he was abusing his power."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "officer"?
Common synonyms include: officeholder, adc, administer, administration, administrator, administrator.
How do you use "officer" in a sentence?
The guild leader relegated Vince to a lesser officer because he was abusing his power.
How do you pronounce "officer"?
Pronounced /ˈɒf.ɪ.sə/.
Etymology
From Middle English officer, from Anglo-Norman officer, officier, from Old French officer, Late Latin officiarius (“official”), from Latin officium (“office”) + -ārius (“-er”). By surface analysis, office + -er.