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

In Ohio, Husted has been repeatedly attacked for his role in attracting data centers to Ohio as lieutenant governor. — Arkansas Online, 5 Oct. 2026

The lieutenant governor position is often seen as a placeholder for the governor’s mansion. — Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 5 Oct. 2026

Employees in the legislative office building and in a nearby building temporarily used to house members of the Legislature, the governor and lieutenant governor were not affected, according to the email. — Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026

The position of lieutenant governor is a support role to the governor and serves as replacement to step in during a gubernatorial vacancy. — New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 28 Sep. 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