Words / A1

p-uh-LEESM-uh-n/pəˈliːsmən/

A policeman is a man whose job is in the police, to keep people safe. A policewoman is a woman; police officer is the modern word for any gender. The police is the group. Countable: a policeman, policemen. Ask a policeman for help.

Meaning

A man whose job is to catch criminals and keep people safe.

Examples

• “The policeman helped us find the station.”
• “A policeman stopped the traffic.”
• “My uncle is a policeman in Leeds.”

Good to know

a policeman. Modern: police officer. Contrast: policewoman. the police = the group.

Near in meaning

police officer

New