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

Cox won a seat in the state House of Representatives in 2012, and was appointed to serve as lieutenant governor the following year. —Daniel Bush, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025

Michigan will also hold an election for its governor and lieutenant governor in 2026. —Molly Parks, The Washington Examiner, 10 Sep. 2025

The declaration was signed by Acting Governor Sylvia Luke, the state's lieutenant governor, because Governor Josh Green is traveling on official business and plans to return to the state on Sept. 7, according to a state news release. —Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 6 Sep. 2025

Collins signed paperwork to open a new political committee the day before DeSantis picked him for lieutenant governor. —Alexandra Glorioso, Miami Herald, 27 Aug. 2025

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