subaltern
1
9.9
- noun
- /sʌbˈɔːltərn/
- Archaic
:
subalterno
- The subaltern was responsible for leading the infantry during the exercise.
- subaltern speak
Examples
-
Crealock, you should see that Colonel Durnford has an officer for his hard riders, perhaps the subaltern from the 24th.
-
Mises asserts: "These schools train the subalterns for routine jobs."
Academic text (1999) -
Bell liked female subalterns - "They work hard."
Fiction book (1998) -
At the meeting, the colonel praised the hard work of his dedicated subaltern.
-
Many subalterns in the regiment were eager to prove themselves during battle.
Synonyms
9
2.8
A person who leads soldiers and has power to give orders in the army
6
6.0
A junior officer with the lowest rank in the Army, Air Force, or Marine Corps
1
9.6
A junior officer in the navy or other military force who ranks below a lieutenant
A military officer just below a captain who follows the captain's orders
A junior officer with the lowest rank in the Army, Air Force, or Marines
A junior army officer in India or Pakistan who leads a small group of soldiers
An officer in the Army, Air Force or Marines who ranks above a second lieutenant and below a captain
A short form of the military rank Lieutenant used before a person's name
Antonyms
Surface Forms
Etymology
Subaltern as a noun comes from the same Latin idea of being sub- 'under' someone alter 'other', and in the British army it became the name for a junior officer who is below a captain.