sergeant major

noun

plural sergeants major or sergeant majors

1

: a noncommissioned officer in the army or marine corps serving as chief administrative assistant in a headquarters

2

: a noncommissioned officer in the marine corps ranking above a first sergeant

3

: a bluish-green to yellow bony fish (Abudefduf saxatilis of the family Pomacentridae) with black vertical stripes on the sides that is widely distributed in the western tropical Atlantic Ocean

Examples of sergeant major in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In May 2025, an Army sergeant major warned that the Army’s operational tempo had surpassed the demands of the war on terror after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. — Monica Duffy Toft, The Conversation, 27 Aug. 2026

There, Noronha wrasse—the archipelago’s namesake cleaner fish—dart among surgeonfish, sergeant majors, grunts, parrotfish, and groupers. — Sarah Bruning, Travel + Leisure, 13 Aug. 2026

What a treasure trove of fish, like parrotfish, sergeant major, and trumpet fish. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Apr. 2026

In this sergeant major’s war against the Conservatives, there are to be no truces. — Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 31 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1797, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for sergeant major

• ager
• gauger
• pager
• stager
• wager
• yager
• teenager

Kids Definition

sergeant major

noun

plural sergeants major or sergeant majors

1

: a noncommissioned officer (as in the army) serving as chief enlisted assistant in a headquarters

2

: an enlisted person of the highest rank in the army or marines