Definition

1. Noun:
   • A police officer who directs and controls vehicle and pedestrian movement: A "traffic cop" is a law enforcement officer whose primary duty is to manage the flow of traffic at intersections, enforce traffic laws, and ensure road safety.

Usage

• The term "traffic cop" is a common, informal compound noun. It is used to specifically refer to a police officer performing traffic control duties, often seen at busy crossings or during events.
• It functions as a countable noun (e.g., , ).

Examples

• Noun:
  • The traffic cop blew his whistle to stop the cars.
  • Ask the traffic cop for directions to the museum.
  • Several traffic cops were deployed to manage the parade route.

Advanced Usage

• The term can be used metaphorically in informal contexts to describe anyone who regulates or controls the flow of something.
  • In our office, the IT manager acts like a traffic cop for network bandwidth.

Variants and Related Words

• Traffic officer: A more formal term with the same meaning.
• Traffic police (plural noun): Refers to the unit or group of officers responsible for traffic control.
• Cop (noun, informal): A general, informal term for a police officer.

Synonyms

• Traffic officer
• Traffic policeman / Traffic policewoman
• Crossing guard (specifically for pedestrian crossings, often near schools)

Related Phrases

• To direct traffic: The primary action performed by a traffic cop.
  • Volunteers helped direct traffic after the accident.
• Traffic duty: The assignment of controlling traffic.
  • The rookie was assigned to traffic duty.

Noun

1. a policeman who controls the flow of automobile traffic