observer

Everyday

1. A person who watches something carefully, often to learn or to report. tree →
2. A person who watches an event but does not take part, for example at a meeting or an election. tree →
3. A person who notices things well: a good observer. tree →

In the lessons

In science lessons a good observer looks closely and writes down what they see — observation is the first step of an experiment. In physics a moving observer may see things differently. In news an observer checks that an election is fair. Phrases: a keen observer, a casual observer.

Examples

• A good scientist is a careful observer. tree →
• The observer wrote notes about the birds at the feeder. tree →
• Observers watched the vote to make sure it was fair. tree →
• To a casual observer, the twins look the same. tree →
• She sat as an observer at the council meeting. tree →
• The observer on the hill could see the whole race. tree →

Note

An observer watches; a participant takes part. «The Observer» is also the name of a British newspaper. Related: observe, observation, observant.