Definition

1. Noun:
   • A commissioned officer in the Army, Air Force, or Marine Corps: A person who has received a formal document (a commission) from a sovereign authority, such as a government, granting them the rank and authority of an officer in a nation's armed forces. This specifically refers to officers in the U.S. Army, Air Force, or Marine Corps who hold authority by virtue of their commission, as opposed to non-commissioned officers (NCOs) or warrant officers.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • After graduating from the academy, she became a commissioned military officer in the Air Force.
  • The decision must be approved by a commissioned military officer.
  • He served as a commissioned military officer for twenty years before retiring.

Advanced Usage

• "To hold a commission as a military officer": To possess the official authority of a commissioned officer.
  • She holds a commission as a military officer in the Marine Corps.

Variants and Related Words

• Commissioned Officer (n): The broader category; an officer in any branch of the armed forces who holds a commission.
  • Commissioned officers include ranks from Second Lieutenant to General.
• Officer (n): A general term for a person holding a position of command or authority in the armed forces.
• Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO) (n): An enlisted member of the armed forces, such as a sergeant, who holds a leadership position but does not have a commission.

Synonyms

• Commissioned Officer: Officer, Military Officer (when context specifies commissioned status).

Notes on Meaning

• The term "commissioned military officer" specifically denotes the source of authority (a commission from the government) and the domain (the military, specifically the Army, Air Force, or Marine Corps in the provided definition). It distinguishes them from:
  • Enlisted personnel: Those who join the military without an officer's commission.
  • Warrant Officers: Technical specialists who hold a warrant from a service secretary.
  • Civilian officials: Those in government service but not part of the military chain of command.

Noun

1. a commissioned officer in the Army or Air Force or Marine Corps