non-commissioned officer
Noun
Meaning
non-commissioned officer (plural non-commissioned officers)
A person of authority in the military who has not received a commission (a direct conveyance of authority from the sovereign government); as such they can have charge or control but not command in the most technical use of the word.
A platoon sergeant may only be a non-commissioned officer but he's the one his men look to when the bullets start flying.
Alternative names
non commissioned officer
Synonyms
sergeant
corporal
fighter
combatant
master sergeant
grunt
infantryman
military personnel
foot soldier
first sergeant
common soldier
enlisted officer
non-com
junior officer
enlisted personnel
Show all synonyms
Antonyms
Related terms
Examples
Any non-commissioned officer is more of an enemy to a recruit, any schoolmaster to a pupil, then they are if they were free.