-
- To save this word, you'll need to log in.
second lieutenant
noun
: a commissioned officer of the lowest rank in the army, air force, or marine corps
Examples of second lieutenant in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Pioneering aviator Captain Theresa M. Claiborne has retired after 43 years of flying, first as a second lieutenant and the first Black female pilot in the U.S. Air Force, and then as a captain at United Airlines.
—Dhanika Pineda, ABC News, 24 May 2024
Dominick Jack Kavanaugh is a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army and previously worked in White House communications, Luke Misner is a former Sullivan County commissioner, and Kristi Risk is chair of the Owen County Republican Party.
—Nadia Scharf, USA TODAY, 8 May 2024
Dominick Jack Kavanaugh is a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army and previously worked in White House communications, Luke Misner is a former Sullivan County commissioner and Kristi Risk is chair of the Owen County Republican Party.
—Nadia Scharf, The Indianapolis Star, 7 May 2024
In January, Madison Marsh — also a second lieutenant and master’s student, but in the Air Force and studying government at Harvard University ― was crowned Miss America in Orlando.
—Frank Witsil, Detroit Free Press, 25 Apr. 2024
After finishing primary flight training, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant.
—Scott Neuman, NPR, 25 Apr. 2024
Madison Marsh, 22, is a second lieutenant in the Air Force and a master’s student at the Harvard Kennedy School’s public policy program.
—Asher Notheis, Washington Examiner, 15 Jan. 2024
In 1954, after the founding of the state of Israel, he was drafted into the Israeli Defense Forces as a second lieutenant.
—Robert D. Hershey Jr., New York Times, 27 Mar. 2024
In 2006, when Ms. Haley was a first-term state representative, Major Haley finished his college degree and soon thereafter joined the South Carolina Army National Guard as a 36-year-old second lieutenant, older than most new officers.
—Matthew Rosenberg, New York Times, 4 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'second 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
First Known Use
1702, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of second lieutenant was
in 1702
Articles Related to second lieutenant
Dictionary Entries Near second lieutenant
Cite this Entry
“Second lieutenant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/second%20lieutenant. Accessed 10 Jun. 2024.
Kids Definition
second lieutenant
noun
: a military commissioned officer of the lowest rank
More from Merriam-Webster on second lieutenant
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share