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major general
noun
: a commissioned officer in the army, air force, or marine corps who ranks above a brigadier general and whose insignia is two stars
Examples of major general in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Anderson is nationally recognized for being the first Black woman to achieve the rank of major general in the United States Army Reserve.
—Aj Willingham, CNN, 7 Dec. 2024
Nigeria’s second democratic experiment came to an end in 1983, when Buhari, then a major general, took power in a military coup.
—Uzodinma Iweala, Foreign Affairs, 21 June 2022
In 2011, Anderson received her famous promotion as major general and then got a new assignment to the Pentagon as deputy chief of the Army Reserve.
—Dawn Sawyer, CNN, 24 Nov. 2024
It's named for a major general during the American Revolution.
—Erin Couch, The Enquirer, 27 Oct. 2024
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Word History
Etymology
French major général, from major, noun + général, adjective, general
First Known Use
1633, in the meaning defined above
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Cite this Entry
“Major general.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/major%20general. Accessed 24 Dec. 2024.
Kids Definition
major general
noun
: a military commissioned officer with a rank just below that of lieutenant general
More from Merriam-Webster on major general
Nglish: Translation of major general for Spanish Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about major general
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