online medical dictionary | definition of quartermaster

1. An officer whose duty is to provide quarters, provisions, storage, clothing, fuel, stationery, and transportation for a regiment or other body of troops, and superintend the supplies.

2. A petty officer who attends to the helm, binnacle, signals, and the like, under the direction of the master. Quartermaster general, in the United States a staff officer, who has the rank of brigadier general and is the chief officer in the quartermaster's department; in England, an officer of high rank stationed at the War Office having similar duties; also, a staff officer, usually a general officer, accompanying each complete army in the field. Quartermaster sergeant. See Sergeant.

Origin: Quarter + master: cf. F. Quartier-maitre.

(01 Mar 1998)