sublieutenant

1 9.6

A junior officer in the navy or other military force who ranks below a lieutenant

noun
/ˌsʌb.lieʊˈtɛn.ənt/

: subteniente

The new sublieutenant impressed everyone with his leadership skills.

Examples

As a sublieutenant, she was responsible for leading her small team aboard the ship.
He was promoted from sublieutenant to lieutenant after just two years of service.
The navy ceremony honored the new sublieutenant and welcomed her to the officer corps.
Have you met the sublieutenant on the ship?
The sublieutenant received orders from his superior officer before the mission began.
As a sublieutenant, she was responsible for leading her squad during training exercises.
The young sublieutenant quickly gained respect from his fellow soldiers for his leadership skills.

Synonyms

lieutenant junior grade

vssublieutenant

Specialized

1 6.5

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

is the general naval rank immediately below the next senior officer rather than US-specific

lieutenant JG

vssublieutenant

Specialized

1 7.8

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

is the general naval rank immediately below the next senior officer beyond US usage

How Senior

captain

247 2.9

commander

Specialized

537 4.2

lieutenant

Specialized

614 5.8

sublieutenant

1 9.6

ensign

Specialized

382 8.2

Surface Forms

sublieutenant singular

sublieutenants plural

Morphology

sublieutenant = lieutenant (transparent) = sub + lieutenant

Productive prefix 'sub-' meaning 'under' combined with the known rank 'lieutenant' yields the clear meaning 'an officer below a lieutenant'.

Etymology

Sublieutenant comes from sub- meaning 'under' and lieutenant, a word that used to mean 'place holder' or 'deputy'. So a sublieutenant is an officer 'under' a lieutenant, which is why this rank is just below lieutenant in the navy.