observer

B2 Topic:People & Society

US /əbˈzɝvɚ/ UK /əbˈzɜːvə/ See IPA manual

Freq #12537

Meanings

1

noun
A person who watches something happen.

Most observers agreed that the match was unfair.
2

noun
A person who watches and comments on a situation as an expert.

Political observers expect the law to pass next week.
3

noun
A person sent to watch a meeting or event but not to take part.

The UN sent observers to monitor the election.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a person who watches... beholder

2 noun · a person who watches and... commentator

Word family

Forms observers

Derived forms interobserverintraobservernonobserverobserveressobserverlessobservership

Related forms observable observably observance observant observation observational observatory observe

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

sympathetic observer
someone watching events with understanding or friendly concern for those involved

Adjective + noun

Etymology

From observe + -er.

Topics

People & Society

External links

# observer

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /əbˈzɝvɚ/
**IPA (UK):** /əbˈzɜːvə/
**Frequency rank:** 12537

## Meanings
1. A person who watches something happen.
2. A person who watches and comments on a situation as an expert.
3. A person sent to watch a meeting or event but not to take part.

## Examples
- Most observers agreed that the match was unfair.
- Political observers expect the law to pass next week.
- The UN sent observers to monitor the election.

## Derived Forms
- interobserver
- intraobserver
- nonobserver
- observeress
- observerless
- observership

## Related Forms
- observable
- observably
- observance
- observant
- observation
- observational
- observatory
- observe

## Etymology
From observe + -er.

## AI Etymology
Observer comes from observe + -er. Modern senses include a person who watches something happen and a person who watches and comments on a situation as an expert. The wider word family includes derivatives such as interobserver, intraobserver, nonobserver, observeress, observerless, and observership and related forms such as observable, observably, observance, and observant.

## Topics
- People & Society

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