pilot officer

noun

: a commissioned officer in the British air force who ranks with a second lieutenant in the army

Word History

First Known Use

1919, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pilot officer was in 1919

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pilot officer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pilot%20officer. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.

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