lieutenant colonel

noun

: a commissioned officer in the army, air force, or marine corps ranking above a major and below a colonel

Examples of lieutenant colonel 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.
The lieutenant colonel is a powerful criollo. — Carolina A. Miranda, The Atlantic, 5 Mar. 2026 Israel, meantime, said four of its soldiers had been killed in fighting in southern Lebanon, including a lieutenant colonel. — Mark Osborne, CBS News, 19 June 2026 Russian media and military bloggers reported the person who was killed was a soldier with the rank of lieutenant colonel, adding the attack happened inside a closed military barracks. — Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 30 Apr. 2026 The Israeli military said four soldiers, including a lieutenant colonel, were killed in an attack on a tank in a village near the southern Lebanese city of Nabatiyeh. — Arkansas Online, 20 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for lieutenant colonel

Word History

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of lieutenant colonel was in 1598

Rhymes for lieutenant colonel

See All Rhymes for lieutenant colonel

Browse Nearby Words

lieutenant
lieutenant colonel
lieutenant commander
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Cite this Entry

“Lieutenant colonel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lieutenant%20colonel. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

lieutenant colonel

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

More from Merriam-Webster on lieutenant colonel

Nglish: Translation of lieutenant colonel for Spanish Speakers

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