Of″fi‐cer (?), n. [F. officier. See Office, and cf. Official, n.] 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.” Shak.
2. (U. S. Mil.) Specifically, a commissioned officer, in distinction from a warrant officer.
Field officer, General officer, etc. See under Field, General. etc. — Officer of the day(Mil.), the officer who, on a given day, has charge for that day of the guard, prisoners, and police of the post or camp. — Officer of the deck, orOfficer of the watch(Naut.), the officer temporarily in charge on the deck of a vessel, esp. a war vessel.