second lieutenant

noun

: a commissioned officer of the lowest rank in the army, air force, or marine corps

Examples of second lieutenant in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In the winter of 1967-68, as a second lieutenant, I was stationed at Fort Jackson in South Carolina as an advanced infantry training officer. Chicago Tribune, 23 Feb. 2026 The 129 second lieutenants average a higher salary, at $87,466, compared to the 313 sergeants who average a salary of $84,085. Lucas Finton, Memphis Commercial Appeal, 18 Feb. 2026 Howard, who had served as a second lieutenant with the Ninety‑Second Division, 366th Infantry in France during World War I, accused President Truman of using the Cold War to justify a sweeping peacetime expansion of America’s global military footprint. Literary Hub, 27 Jan. 2026 At age 19, Woodhouse was a second lieutenant and assigned to the 332nd Fighter Group, also known as the Tuskegee Airmen. Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald, 15 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for second lieutenant

Word History

First Known Use

1702, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of second lieutenant was in 1702

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Second lieutenant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/second%20lieutenant. Accessed 11 Mar. 2026.

Kids Definition

second lieutenant

noun
: a military commissioned officer of the lowest rank

More from Merriam-Webster on second lieutenant

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster