P.O.
- noun
- Jargon
:
suboficial
- The P.O. supervised the new recruits during their morning drills.
Examples
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As a P.O., she played a critical role on board the ship.
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After ten years of service, he was finally promoted to P.O. in the Navy.
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The P.O. led the training exercises.
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Many P.O.s support their junior sailors.
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After ten years of service, he was finally promoted to P.O. in the Navy.
-
As a P.O., she played a critical role on board the ship.
-
The P.O. supervised the new recruits during their morning drills.
Synonyms
10
4.8
A sailor with a middle rank in the Navy or Coast Guard who leads other sailors
5
8.6
A Navy or Coast Guard leader with a rank like an Army sergeant
2
8.1
A military leader who used to be a soldier and commands a small group
2
6.2
A military person promoted from lower ranks who leads and trains soldiers
Surface Forms
Etymology
The word P.O. is a short form of petty officer. The word petty originally meant 'small' or 'junior', so a P.O. is a lower-level officer who stands above ordinary sailors but below a chief, which is why the rank sits between seaman and chief today.