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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
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.
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 Before becoming Army Secretary, Driscoll served in Iraq as an armor officer, leaving after three and a half years as a first lieutenant. Rebecca Schneid, Time, 25 Nov. 2025 Backing Collins would mean DeSantis is hanging his legacy on what is by definition a longshot: Collins would have to become the first lieutenant governor in recent memory to go on and win the governor’s seat. Alexandra Glorioso, Miami Herald, 27 Aug. 2025 The Air Force base and the airport's original name commemorated Charles Linton Williams, an Arizona native who was a first lieutenant in the Army Air Corps. Michael Salerno, AZCentral.com, 13 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for first lieutenant

Word History

First Known Use

1697, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of first lieutenant was in 1697

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Cite this Entry

“First lieutenant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/first%20lieutenant. Accessed 5 Dec. 2025.

Kids Definition

first lieutenant

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

More from Merriam-Webster on first lieutenant

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