lieutenant Meaning, Definition & Usage

noun a commissioned military officer
noun an officer in a police force
police lieutenant.
noun an assistant with power to act when his superior is absent
deputy.
noun an officer holding a commissioned rank in the United States Navy or the United States Coast Guard; below lieutenant commander and above lieutenant junior grade

F., fr. lieu place + tenant holding, p. pr. of tenir to hold, L. tenere. See Lieu, and Tenant, and cf. Locum tenens.

An officer who supplies the place of a superior in his absence; a representative of, or substitute for, another in the performance of any duty.
The lawful magistrate, who is the vicegerent or lieutenant of God. Abp. Bramhall.
(a) A commissioned officer in the army, next below a captain. (b) A commissioned officer in the British navy, in rank next below a commander. (c) A commissioned officer in the United States navy, in rank next below a lieutenant commander. ✍ Lieutenant is often used, either adjectively or in hyphened compounds, to denote an officer, in rank next below another, especially when the duties of the higher officer may devolve upon the lower one; as, lieutenant general, or lieutenant-general; lieutenant colonel, or lieutenant-colonel; lieutenant governor, etc.