| a military or naval officer holding rank by commission. |
| com·mis·sioned officer (kə-mĭsh'ənd) n. An officer who holds a commission and ranks as a second lieutenant or above in the U.S. Army, Air Force, or Marine Corps, or as an ensign or above in the U.S. Navy or Coast Guard. |
An officer of a country's armed services whose rank is confirmed by a government document (a commission). In many countries, including the United States, commissioned officers in the navy are those of the rank of ensign and above, and in the army and air force those of the rank of lieutenant and above.
Note: Commissioned officers are contrasted with enlisted men and women, such as privates, corporals, and sergeants, or ordinary seamen and petty officers.