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

Henderson, who is fifty-two years old, is the lieutenant governor of Utah, a Republican midway through her second term. — Barton Gellman, New Yorker, 25 Oct. 2026

The videos targeting Evette are said to have been paid for by a PAC; the one released against her opponent was funded by the lieutenant governor’s campaign. — Anagilmara Vílchez, NBC news, 23 Oct. 2026

Bob Kustra served as Illinois lieutenant governor and 10 years as an Illinois Republican state lawmaker before serving for 15 years as president of Boise State University. — Bob Kustra, Chicago Tribune, 22 Oct. 2026

The Republican candidate for lieutenant governor focuses on the frustration in some suburban neighborhoods about the state law that bypasses local zoning rules. — Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 18 Oct. 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