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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
In 1942, at age 28, Elzie joined the Army and rose to the rank of first lieutenant.
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Mike Klingaman, Baltimore Sun, 30 Jan. 2025
That June, Yardley was commissioned as a first lieutenant in the Signal Officers’ Reserve Corps.
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Peter Zablocki, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Feb. 2025
Driscoll served in the Army as a cavalry scout platoon leader, leaving after less than four years of service with the rank of first lieutenant.
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Danielle Battaglia, Charlotte Observer, 1 Feb. 2025
McDevitt joined the Army in 1917 to be an airman, but was commissioned a first lieutenant in the 11th Balloon Company.
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Jeff Suess, The Enquirer, 27 Oct. 2024
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Word History
First Known Use
1697, in the meaning defined at sense 2
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Cite this Entry
“First lieutenant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/first%20lieutenant. Accessed 13 Feb. 2025.
Kids Definition
first lieutenant
noun
: a military commissioned officer with a rank just below that of captain
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