observer

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: ob=serv=er

CIDE DICTIONARY

observer, n. 

•  One who observes, or pays attention to, anything; especially, one engaged in, or trained to habits of, close and exact observation; as, an astronomical observer.  [1913 Webster]

  "The observed of all observers."  [1913 Webster]

  "Careful observers may foretell the hour,
  By sure prognostic, when to dread a shower."  [1913 Webster]
•  One who keeps any law, custom, regulation, rite, etc.; one who conforms to anything in practice.  Spenser.  [1913 Webster]

  "These . . . hearkened unto observers of times."  [1913 Webster]
•  One who fulfills or performs; as, an observer of his promises.  [1913 Webster]
•  A sycophantic follower.  Beau. & Fl.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

observer, n.
1 a person who observes.
2 an interested spectator.
3 a person who attends a conference etc. to note the proceedings but does not participate.
4 a a person trained to notice and identify aircraft. b a person carried in an aeroplane to note the enemy's position etc.

THESAURUS

observer

TV-viewer, ace, air force, beholder, bird-watcher, bomber pilot, bystander, combat pilot, drugstore cowboy, examinant, examiner, eyewitness, fighter pilot, flyboy, gaper, gazer, gazer-on, girl-watcher, goggler, inspector, investigator, kibitzer, looker, looker-on, military pilot, naval pilot, ogler, onlooker, perceiver, percipient, scrutineer, seer, sidewalk superintendent, spectator, spectatress, spectatrix, suicide pilot, televiewer, television-viewer, tester, video-gazer, viewer, visitator, visitor, watcher, witness

ROGET THESAURUS

observer

Spectator

N spectator, beholder, observer, looker-on, onlooker, witness, eyewitness, bystander, passer by, sightseer, rubberneck, rubbernecker, spy, sentinel.