Skip to main content
lieutenant

lieutenant

614 5.8
An officer in the armed forces who is below a captain and often commands a small unit
  • noun
  • /luˈtɛnənt/
  • Specialized
translation icon : teniente
  • Two months later, Lieutenant Wilkinson leads a second raid that burns more villages and crops.
  • lieutenant colonel
  • first lieutenant
  • second lieutenant

But he was a Lieutenant in the Air Force.

Autoplay Next

Examples

  • Philip Caputo details his experiences as a Marine Corps lieutenant in this widely acclaimed book.

    Academic text (2001)
  • But he was a Lieutenant in the Air Force.

  • You taking this one, lieutenant, or does it stay in Division?

  • Did you all hear what the lieutenant said?

  • You wanted to see me, Lieutenant?

  • The pilot had been a lieutenant in the Imperial Iranian Air Force before the revolution.

    Academic text (2002)
  • George Davenport arrived in Vietnam in June 1966 as a first lieutenant with the Army Corps of Engineers.

    Academic text (2011)
  • David Curd served as an Army lieutenant in Vietnam and held doctorates in law and education.

    Academic text (1996)
  • Borrowing a Mauser from a nearby soldier, the lieutenant handed it to Reed.

    Academic text (2002)
  • Lieutenant Smith reported for duty as soon as he arrived at the base.

Synonyms

officer
vslieutenant
2.4

A person in the army, navy, or air force who gives orders

is a specific mid-level commissioned rank not any authority holder
military officer
vslieutenant
38 3.2

A person in charge of soldiers who gives orders and leads them

is a specific mid-level commissioned rank rather than any officer
first lieutenant
vslieutenant
  • Jargon
4 5.3

A military officer who is one rank below a captain

is the general middle rank term rather than a specific numbered form
1st lieutenant
vslieutenant
  • US
5.8

An officer in the Army, Air Force or Marines who ranks above a second lieutenant and below a captain

is the general rank term rather than the numbered form
Lieut.
vslieutenant
  • UK
6.4

A short form of the military rank Lieutenant used before a person's name

is the full rank term used in speech and formal writing

Compounds

lieutenant governor
  • Specialized
33 6.3

An elected official who helps a state's governor and may take their place

lieutenant colonel
  • Specialized
13 7.0

A senior officer in the army or air force above a major and below a colonel who leads soldiers

lieutenant commander
  • Specialized
6 6.9

A Navy or Coast Guard officer who is above lieutenant and below commander

A junior officer with the lowest rank in the Army, Air Force, or Marine Corps

A police officer who is above sergeant and below captain

4 5.3

A military officer who is one rank below a captain

lieutenant general
  • Specialized
3 6.6

A high military officer ranking above major general and below general

lieutenant JG
  • Specialized
1 7.8

A junior officer in the US Navy or Coast Guard who is above ensign and below lieutenant

1 6.5

An officer rank in the US Navy and Coast Guard above ensign and below lieutenant

An officer in the Army, Air Force or Marines who ranks above a second lieutenant and below a captain

A junior officer with the lowest rank in the Army, Air Force, or Marines

How Senior

major
  • Specialized
922 4.9
captain
247 2.9
lieutenant
  • Specialized
614 5.8
sergeant
422 3.9
corporal
  • Specialized
450 4.3
private
76 3.7

Surface Forms

lieutenant singular
lieutenants plural

Morphology

lieutenant = lieu + tenant (opaque) = lieu + tenant

Historically a loan compound meaning 'place-holder'; modern military rank sense is not transparently derived from the component words for typical learners.

Etymology

The word lieutenant comes from the French parts lieu 'place' and tenant 'holding', meaning a 'place-holder'. So in the military a lieutenant is an officer who holds a position below a captain and can act for a superior when needed.