private first class

noun

: an enlisted member of the army ranking above a private and below a corporal and in the marine corps above a private and below a lance corporal

Examples of private first class in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Emily Chan of McKinney and Spencer Akira Howe, a private first class in the U.S. Army, took the lead by becoming the first team to break the 200-point barrier. Dallas Morning News, 16 Feb. 2026 Duvall also served in the military, joining the U.S. Army after the Korean War in 1953, leaving as a private first class in 1954. Isa Almeida, Oklahoman, 16 Feb. 2026 Farrell was named an Honor Marine during boot camp and reached the rank of private first class. Talia McWright, Twin Cities, 17 Oct. 2025 Now a private first class stationed at Camp Buehring in Kuwait, Aubin still struggles with his weight and staying within the Army's body fat requirements. Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA Today, 6 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for private first class

Word History

First Known Use

1918, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of private first class was in 1918

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Cite this Entry

“Private first class.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/private%20first%20class. Accessed 27 Feb. 2026.

Kids Definition

private first class

noun
: an enlisted person with a rank just below corporal in the army or just below lance corporal in the marines
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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