Third Person

The term "Third Person" is generally applied to games which show the character the gamer is playing as, from behind the character. This allows the whole character to be seen, and a larger field of view. The other main view in games is the "First Person" view, which shows the game as the character would see it. It is basically looking through the character's eyes.

Relevance to Call of Duty
In most Call of Duty games, spectating a player will allow the use to pick from two cameras, a first-person camera or a third-person camera. This is the only way third person can be viewed on console games without glitching (excluding Modern Warfare 2).

PC users can manipulate the in-game console to have a third-person view of the game.

Third-person views will be a feature of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. It has been confirmed in leaked footage that certain online game modes in Modern Warfare 2 will enable third-person view or be third-person altogether.

In Nazi Zombies, a glitch can be exploited on consoles that will enable third person, but aiming is impossible and the only way to get kills is by grenades.