Definition of lieutenant
1a : an official empowered to act for a higher official The king's lieutenant handled the problem.b : an aide or representative of another in the performance of duty : assistant Her best lieutenant was working on the proposal.
2a (1) : first lieutenant (2) : second lieutenantb : a commissioned officer in the navy or coast guard ranking above a lieutenant junior grade and below a lieutenant commanderc : a fire or police department officer ranking below a captain
From the M-W Editors
Examples of lieutenant in a Sentence
He was promoted to the rank of lieutenant.
She has her best lieutenants working on a proposal.
one of the mobster's most loyal lieutenants
Recent Examples of lieutenant from the Web
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Flynn, a retired lieutenant general, was one of Trump’s closest aides during the presidential campaign, culminating in his brief tenure as national-security adviser.
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Congressional investigators continue to press for key documents in the ongoing investigation, and the retired lieutenant general is trying to limit damaging disclosures that hostile Democratic lawmakers could use against him.
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Congressional investigators continue to press for key documents in the ongoing investigation, and the retired lieutenant general is trying to limit damaging disclosures that hostile Democratic lawmakers could use against him.
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Instead, a possible victim is already emerging: The $23.7 billion K-12 education budget, which Sen. Bill Galvano, a top lieutenant to Negron who has been talking with members of Scott’s staff, says is a possibility.
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Congressional investigators continue to press for key documents in the ongoing investigation, and the retired lieutenant general is trying to limit damaging disclosures that hostile Democratic lawmakers could use against him.
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The retired lieutenant colonel said Saturday also was his first time experiencing the event.
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The lieutenant declined to say what kind of injuries the victim had sustained.
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But after a mid-career political surge and the appointment of mentor Terry Branstad as U.S. ambassador to China, the former legislator and lieutenant governor acknowledges growing more comfortable with her ascent Wednesday to the state’s top job.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'lieutenant'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of lieutenant
Middle English, from Anglo-French lieu tenant, from liu + tenant holding, from tenir to hold, from Latin tenēre — more at thin
First Known Use: 14th century
LIEUTENANT Defined for English Language Learners
lieutenant
playDefinition of lieutenant for English Language Learners
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: an officer in the army, navy, or air force with a fairly low rank
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: an officer in a fire or police department who has a rank below a captain
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: an assistant to another, more powerful person : a person who represents and works for someone else
LIEUTENANT Defined for Kids
lieutenant
playDefinition of lieutenant for Students
1 : an official who acts for a higher official
2 : first lieutenant
4 : a commissioned officer in the navy or coast guard ranking above a lieutenant junior grade
Learn More about lieutenant
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See words that rhyme with lieutenant Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for lieutenant Spanish Central: Translation of lieutenant Nglish: Translation of lieutenant for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of lieutenant for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about lieutenant
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