officer definition

English officer definition

Etymology

From Middle English officer, from Anglo-Norman officer, officier, from Old French officer, Late Latin officiarius (“official”), from Latin officium (“office”) + -ārius (“-er”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈɒfɪsə/
  • (weak vowel merger) IPA^(key): /ˈɒfəsə/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈɔfɪsɚ/
  • (weak vowel merger) IPA^(key): /ˈɔfəsɚ/
• (cot–caught merger, Canada) IPA^(key): /ˈɑfɪsɚ/
  • (weak vowel merger) IPA^(key): /ˈɑfəsɚ/
• (dialectal, informal) IPA^(key): /ˈɒfsə/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Hyphenation: of‧fi‧cer

Noun

officer (plural officers)

2. One who has a position of authority in a hierarchical organization, especially in military, police or government organizations.
3. A respectful term of address for an officer, especially a police officer.
   • 1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter XIX, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:

     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.

5. One who holds a public office.
7. An agent or servant imparted with the ability, to some degree, to act on initiative.
9. (colloquial, military) A commissioned officer.

Derived terms

Related terms

• office
• official
• officiate

Descendants

• → Central Dusun: upisor
• → Punjabi: ਅਫ਼ਸਰ (afasar)
• → Swahili: afisa

Translations

Verb

officer (third-person singular simple present officers, present participle officering, simple past and past participle officered)

1. (transitive) To supply with officers.
2. (transitive) To command as or like an officer.
   • 1848 November – 1850 December, William Makepeace Thackeray, chapter 31, in The History of Pendennis. […], volumes (please specify |volume=I or II), London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1849–1850, →OCLC:

     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.

   • 1929, Robert Graves, chapter 10, in Good-Bye to All That‎^[1], London: Jonathan Cape, page 115:

     The regular battalions of the regiment, though officered mainly by Anglo-Welshmen of county families, did not normally contain more than about one Welshman in fifty in the ranks.

Synonyms

• direct
• conduct
• manage

Related terms

• CO
• NCO

Translations

Middle English officer definition

Alternative forms

• offecer, officeer, officeere, officere, officiare, officier, offiser, offycer, offycere, offyseer, oficer

Etymology

Borrowed from Anglo-Norman officer, officier, from Latin officiārius; equivalent to office +‎ -er.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɔfiˈseːr/, /ˈɔfisər/

Noun

officer (plural officers)

1. A hireling or subordinate; one employed to serve, especially at an estate.
2. An official or officeholder; the holder of a prominent office or position.
3. A municipal, local or societal official or officeholder.
4. A religious or ecclesiastical official or officeholder.
5. (religion) A deputy or subordinate of the forces of good or evil.
6. (rare) One who supervises or organises jousting.
7. (rare) A member or leader of a military force.

Descendants

• English: officer
• Scots: offisher

References

• “offī̆cē̆r, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2019-03-20.

Old French officer definition

Alternative forms

• officier

Noun

officer m (oblique plural officers, nominative singular officers, nominative plural officer)

1. officer

References

• officer on the Anglo-Norman On-Line Hub

Swedish officer definition

Etymology

Borrowed from French officer.

Pronunciation

• Audio

  (file)

Noun

officer c

1. officer, a military person of fänrik grade or higher
2. (archaic) ämbetsman, tjänsteman; one who holds a public office

Declension

Declension of officer
	Singular		Plural
	Indefinite	Definite	Indefinite	Definite
Nominative	officer	officeren	officerare	officerarna
Genitive	officers	officerens	officerares	officerarnas

Derived terms

• officerare

References

• officer in Svensk ordbok (SO)
• officer in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL)
• officer in Svenska Akademiens ordbok (SAOB)