How to pronounce officer
Say it like AW-fuh-ser. Officer has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (AW).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce officer. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- AW
- fuh
- ser
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Officer pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- AWSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "aw" in law.
- fuhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- serKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
American vs British pronunciation of officer
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: OF-ih-suh.
What does officer mean?
- any person in the armed services who holds a position of authority or command“an officer is responsible for the lives of his men”
- someone who is appointed or elected to an office and who holds a position of trust“he is an officer of the court”“the club elected its officers for the coming year”
- a member of a police force“it was an accident, officer”
- direct or command as an officer
Where does officer come from?
From Middle English officer, from Anglo-Norman officer, officier, from Old French officer, Late Latin officiarius (“official”), from Latin officium (“office”) + -ārius (“-er”).
Questions about saying officer
How do you pronounce officer?
Say AW-fuh-ser. The American pronunciation is /ˈɔfəsɚ/. In British English it is /ˈɒfɪsə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in officer?
Officer has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (AW). Broken into parts: AW · fuh · ser.
Is officer pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /ˈɒfɪsə/ (OF-ih-suh).