quartermaster

[kwawr-ter-mas-ter, -mah-ster] /ˈkwɔr tərˌmæs tər, -ˌmɑ stər/
noun
1.
Military. an officer charged with providing quarters, clothing, fuel, transportation, etc., for a body of troops.
2.
Navy. a petty officer having charge of signals, navigating apparatus, etc.
Origin
1400-50; late Middle English quarter maister. See quarter, master
Related forms
quartermasterlike, adjective
quartermastership, noun
Examples from the web for quartermaster
  • Eventually, the camp contained quartermaster buildings and barracks.
  • As quartermaster he still persisted that he was right.
  • He had seen ordnance officers and quartermaster officers and post exchange officers and other spooky military anomalies.
  • The major share of the burden of raising the volunteer units was shouldered by the state quartermaster general's department.
British Dictionary definitions for quartermaster

quartermaster

/ˈkwɔːtəˌmɑːstə/
noun
1.
an officer responsible for accommodation, food, and equipment in a military unit
2.
a rating in the navy, usually a petty officer, with particular responsibility for steering a ship and other navigational duties
Word Origin and History for quartermaster
n.

early 15c., "subordinate officer of a ship," from French quartier-maître or directly from Dutch kwartier-meester; originally a ship's officer whose duties included stowing of the hold; later (c.1600) an officer in charge of quarters and rations for troops. See quarters.