first lieutenant

noun

1

: a commissioned officer in the army, air force, or marine corps ranking above a second lieutenant and below a captain

2

: a naval officer responsible for a ship's upkeep

Examples of first lieutenant in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Feehan, a first lieutenant who was killed Saturday, will be posthumously promoted to the rank of captain and awarded the Bronze Star, Purple Heart and Combat Action Badge. — ABC News, 22 July 2026

Feehan, a first lieutenant, will be posthumously promoted to the rank of captain and awarded the Bronze Star, Purple Heart and Combat Action Badge medals. — Los Angeles Times, 20 July 2026

Though their kids have stayed out of the public eye, Angela shared on Facebook in November 2020 that their daughter, Abby, was a first lieutenant in the United States Air Force. — Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 27 May 2026

After leaving active duty as a first lieutenant, Driscoll worked in finance and held internships with the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs and major law firms. — Matthew Robinson, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1697, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for first lieutenant

• cotenant
• subtenant
• pennant
• tenant

Kids Definition

first lieutenant

noun

: a military commissioned officer with a rank just below that of captain