Definition

1. Noun:
   • An army officer responsible for supplies and provisions: A quartermaster is a military officer whose primary duty is to provide troops with clothing, food, lodging, and other essential supplies. The role is logistical and administrative, focusing on sustaining the force.

Usage

• The term "quartermaster" is a compound noun. It is used to denote a specific military rank and role, primarily within army or land force contexts.
• It functions as a countable noun (e.g., , ).

Examples

• Noun:
  • The quartermaster distributed new uniforms and rations to the soldiers before the march.
  • All requests for equipment must be approved by the battalion quartermaster.
  • His father served as a quartermaster during the war, ensuring supplies reached the front lines.

Advanced Usage

• "Quartermaster general": A high-ranking officer who heads the quartermaster department or corps for an entire army.
  • The Quartermaster General is responsible for the army's entire supply chain.
• "Quartermaster sergeant": A senior non-commissioned officer who assists the quartermaster officer with logistical duties.
  • The quartermaster sergeant supervised the inventory of the warehouse.

Variants and Related Words

• Quartermaster corps (n): The branch or department of an army responsible for supply and logistics.
  • He had a long career in the quartermaster corps.
• Quartermaster (n, nautical): In a naval context, a quartermaster is a petty officer or rating responsible for steering the ship and maintaining navigational equipment. Note: This is a distinct, though related, usage from the army definition.
  • The naval quartermaster took the helm during the storm.

Synonyms

• Logistics officer: An officer specializing in the detailed coordination of complex operations involving people, facilities, or supplies.
• Supply officer: An officer in charge of procuring and distributing materials.

Related Phrases

• To serve as quartermaster: To perform the duties of a quartermaster.
  • He was asked to serve as quartermaster for the expedition.
• Quartermaster duties: The tasks associated with the quartermaster role, such as inventory, distribution, and procurement.
  • Her responsibilities included all standard quartermaster duties.

Noun

1. an army officer who provides clothing and subsistence for troops