lieutenant governor

noun

: a deputy or subordinate governor: such as

a

: an elected official serving as deputy to the governor of an American state

b

: the formal head of the government of a Canadian province appointed by the federal government as the representative of the crown

lieutenant governorship noun

Examples of lieutenant governor in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The lieutenant governor’s victory is also a win for Pritzker, with her Democratic primary serving as an early test of the governor’s national influence. —Rachel Schilke, The Washington Examiner, 18 Mar. 2026

Prior to his appointment, while serving as DeWine’s lieutenant governor, Husted counseled DeWine on the appointment of the chair of Ohio’s Public Utilities’ Commission, the state’s top utility regulator. —Chicago Tribune, 17 Mar. 2026

Pritzker has endorsed and donated millions to the campaign of his lieutenant governor, Juliana Stratton. —CBS News, 17 Mar. 2026

Another Republican who had been on the committee, John Kennedy, resigned to pursue his own lieutenant governor bid. —Arkansas Online, 15 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1595, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

lieutenant governor

noun

1

: an elected official serving as deputy to the governor of an American state

2

: the formal head of the government of a Canadian province appointed to represent the crown