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
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.
After a stint in the city DA’s office, Oh joined the Army National Guard, serving as a second lieutenant in the 20th Special Forces Group; his unit was activated in 1991 for Operation Desert Storm, but the war ended before his deployment overseas. Yiyun Li, Harper's Magazine, 23 Oct. 2024 William, who was serving as a second lieutenant in the army, suddenly canceled plans to join her at her family’s New Year’s gathering, Jobson reported. Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 29 July 2024 Buy Now Netflix's 'Maid': Everything to Know 18 of 20 'And No Birds Sang' by Farley Mowat After he's rejected by Royal Canadian Air Force, Farley Mowat joined the infantry in 1940 as a second lieutenant and quickly earned the trust of his fellow soldiers. Lizz Schumer, Peoplemag, 29 June 2024 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 See all Example Sentences for second lieutenant 

Word History

First Known Use

1702, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of second lieutenant was in 1702

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 28 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

second lieutenant

noun
: a military commissioned officer of the lowest rank

More from Merriam-Webster on second lieutenant

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!