Edit page | Page history | Printable version

officer

1. One who holds an office; a person lawfully invested with an office, whether civil, military, or ecclesiastical; as, a church officer; a police officer; a staff officer. I am an officer of state.

2. Specifically, a commissioned officer, in distinction from a warrant officer. Field officer, general officer, etc. See Field, General. Etc. Officer of the day, the officer temporarily in charge on the deck of a vessel, especially. A war vessel.

Origin: F. Officier. See Office, and cf. Official.