lieutenant

See also: Lieutenant

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Middle French lieutenant, from lieu (place) + tenant (holding).

Pronunciation

  • (UK, General Australian, General New Zealand) IPA(key): /lɛfˈtɛnənt/, /ləˈtɛnənt/
    • (UK)
      (file)
  • (file)
  • (US) IPA(key): /l(j)uˈtɛnənt/
    • (US)
      (file)
  • (Canada) IPA(key): /l(j)uˈtɛnənt/, /lɛfˈtɛnənt/[1]
  • (India) IPA(key): /ˈlɛftɛnənt/
  • (file)
  • Rhymes: -ɛnənt

Noun

lieutenant (plural lieutenants)

  1. (military) The lowest commissioned officer rank or ranks in many military forces.
    1. (military, US) In the US Army, Air Force and Marines, second lieutenant is the rank below first lieutenant, which is below captain. Both ranks may be referred to as Lieutenant or as the complete forms of the ranks.
    2. (military, US, navy) A naval officer whose rank is above that of ensign in the United States Navy and below that of a lieutenant commander. There are two ranks of lieutenant: lieutenant junior grade and lieutenant.
    3. (military, US) A commissioned officer in the United States Coast Guard, Public Health Service, or National Atmospheric and Oceanic Administration whose rank is above that of ensign and below lieutenant commander. There are two ranks of lieutenant: lieutenant junior grade and lieutenant.
    4. (military, Britain) A naval officer in the Royal Navy who holds the rank above sub-lieutenant and below lieutenant commander.
    5. (military, Canada, Australia, New Zealand) A naval officer who holds the rank above sub-lieutenant and below lieutenant commander.
  2. A person who executes the plans and directives of another.
  3. The second-in-command of a group.

Usage notes

When used as a title, it is always capitalized.

  • Example: Lieutenant Anne Ward.

The rank of lieutenant corresponds to pay grade O-3 in the US Navy, Coast Guard, Public Health Service, and National Atmospheric and Oceanic Administration.

Synonyms

  • (military): Lt., LT., LT, lieut., Lieut., lieut, Lieut (abbreviation)

Derived terms

Translations

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout#Translations.

See also

Adjective

lieutenant (not comparable)

  1. A military grade that is junior to the grade the adjective modifies: lieutenant colonel, lieutenant general, lieutenant commander.

Translations

References

  1. Only 14 to 19% of 14-year-olds used the traditional pronunciation IPA(key): /lɛfˈtɛnənt/ in a survey in 1972, and they are meanwhile (at the beginning of 2017) at least 57 years old: How do you pronounce Lieutenant Governor?, Toronto Star; July 6, 2014

French

Etymology

From lieu + tenant.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ljøt.nɑ̃/
  • (file)
  • (file)

Noun

lieutenant m (plural lieutenants)

  1. lieutenant

Further reading


Middle French

Noun

lieutenant m (plural lieutenants)

  1. lieutenant (person who executes the plans and directives of another)
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