lieutenant

noun

lieu·​ten·​ant lü-ˈte-nənt How to pronounce lieutenant (audio)
 British  le(f)-
Synonyms of lieutenantnext
1
a
: an official empowered to act for a higher official
The king's lieutenant handled the problem.
b
: an aide or representative of another in the performance of duty : assistant
Her best lieutenant was working on the proposal.
2
b
: a commissioned officer in the navy or coast guard ranking above a lieutenant junior grade and below a lieutenant commander
c
: a fire or police department officer ranking below a captain

Synonyms

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 

Examples of lieutenant in a Sentence

He was promoted to the rank of lieutenant. She has her best lieutenants working on a proposal. one of the mobster's most loyal lieutenants
Recent Examples on the Web Nasrallah and some of his lieutenants were in Beirut making a quick visit when the strike took place, according to the official. —Nadine El-Bawab, ABC News, 27 Sep. 2024 And those cases often hinged on lieutenants turning on their bosses. —Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 27 Sep. 2024 When president, Trump criticized the company for refusing to unlock the iPhone of a Royal Saudi Air Force lieutenant accused of killing three sailors in 2021. —Stephanie Lai, Fortune, 25 Sep. 2024 Avila-Salmon has served as head of inclusive content for the motion picture group since 2020 and will hand over leadership of the department to her longtime lieutenant Tayanna Todd. —Angelique Jackson, Variety, 5 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for lieutenant 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lieutenant.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French lieu tenant, from liu + tenant holding, from tenir to hold, from Latin tenēre — more at thin

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of lieutenant was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing lieutenant

Dictionary Entries Near lieutenant

lieutenancy

lieutenant

lieutenant colonel

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Lieutenant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lieutenant. Accessed 8 Oct. 2024.

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Kids Definition

lieutenant

noun
lieu·​ten·​ant lü-ˈten-ənt How to pronounce lieutenant (audio)
1
: an official who acts for a higher official
2
a
: first lieutenant
b
: second lieutenant
c
: a naval commissioned officer with a rank just below that of lieutenant commander
d
: a fire or police department officer ranking below a captain
Etymology

Middle English lieutenant "lieutenant," from early French lieutenant (same meaning), literally, "one holding the place for another," from lieu "place, position" and tenant "holding"

Word Origin
The phrase in lieu of means the same thing as in place of or instead of. The word lieu came into English from early French, in which it meant "place, position, function." Another English word that came from early French is tenant. In early French, this word was an adjective meaning "holding." Joined together, these two words gave the early French word lieutenant. It originally meant "a person holding another person's place" or "a person acting in place of another." In English, lieutenant is best known as a military title, but the word is still sometimes used in its original meaning to refer to a person who acts in lieu of someone else.

More from Merriam-Webster on lieutenant

Nglish: Translation of lieutenant for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of lieutenant for Arabic Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about lieutenant

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