lieutenant

[ loo-ten-uh nt; in British use, except in the navy, lef-ten-uh nt ]
/ luˈtɛn ənt; in British use, except in the navy, lɛfˈtɛn ənt /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR lieutenant ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

Military.
  1. first lieutenant.
  2. second lieutenant.
U.S. Navy. a commissioned officer ranking between lieutenant junior grade and lieutenant commander.
a person who holds an office, civil or military, in subordination to a superior for whom he or she acts: If he can't attend, he will send his lieutenant.

Origin of lieutenant

1325–75; Middle English < Middle French, noun use of adj. phrase lieu tenant place-holding. See locum tenens, lieu, tenant

OTHER WORDS FROM lieutenant

un·der·lieu·ten·ant, noun

Words nearby lieutenant

lieut, lieut., lieut. col., lieut. comdr., lieutenancy, lieutenant, lieutenant colonel, lieutenant commander, lieutenant general, lieutenant governor, lieutenant junior grade

Words related to lieutenant

help, helper, deputy, aide, second, subordinate, partner, supporter, accomplice, coadjutor, abettor, patron, adjunct, mate, collaborator, friend, colleague, adherent, associate, backer

Example sentences from the Web for lieutenant

British Dictionary definitions for lieutenant

lieutenant
/ (lɛfˈtɛnənt, US luːˈtɛnənt) /

noun

a military officer holding commissioned rank immediately junior to a captain
a naval officer holding commissioned rank immediately junior to a lieutenant commander
US an officer in a police or fire department ranking immediately junior to a captain
a person who holds an office in subordination to or in place of a superior

Derived forms of lieutenant

lieutenancy, noun

Word Origin for lieutenant

C14: from Old French, literally: place-holding