first lieutenant

noun

1
: a commissioned officer in the army, air force, or marine corps ranking above a second lieutenant and below a captain
2
: a naval officer responsible for a ship's upkeep

Examples of first lieutenant in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
McDevitt joined the Army in 1917 to be an airman, but was commissioned a first lieutenant in the 11th Balloon Company. Jeff Suess, The Enquirer, 27 Oct. 2024 Later, he was was promoted to first lieutenant, before being discharged from the Army. Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 9 Sep. 2024 Ashley White received her earliest combat action badge from the United States Army soon after the first lieutenant arrived in Afghanistan. Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 27 May 2024 The United States Cavalry arrives eventually to help pick up the pieces; one of their numbers is a soulful young first lieutenant played by Sam Worthington. Stephanie Zacharek, TIME, 21 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for first lieutenant 

Word History

First Known Use

1697, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of first lieutenant was in 1697

Dictionary Entries Near first lieutenant

Cite this Entry

“First lieutenant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/first%20lieutenant. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

first lieutenant

noun
: a military commissioned officer with a rank just below that of captain

More from Merriam-Webster on first lieutenant

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