lieutenant

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lieutenant, the rank in virtually every navy in the world next below that of lieutenant commander, or its equivalent. Originally there was no such rank as lieutenant commander, lieutenants being promoted direct to captain. In the days of sailing navies captain was the equivalent of the rank of commander today, while post-captains were the equivalent of today's captain, though there was no such rank as post-captain in the US Navy. The origin of the term comes from the French lieu, place, and tenant, holder, one who holds his authority from a senior officer. The word, logically, is pronounced ‘lootenant’ in the USA, but in English it is pronounced ‘leftenant’, possibly derived from luef, the Old French for lieu.

lieu·ten·ant / loōˈtenənt/ • n. a deputy or substitute acting for a superior: two of Lenin's leading lieutenants. ∎ see first lieutenant, second lieutenant. ∎  a naval officer of a high rank, in particular a commissioned officer in the U.S. Navy or Coast Guard ranking above lieutenant junior grade and below lieutenant commander. ∎  a police or fire department officer next in rank below captain. DERIVATIVES: lieu·ten·an·cy / -ˈtenənsē/ n. (pl. -cies) .

lieutenant (arch.) vicegerent XIV; military and naval rank (orig. of one ‘holding the place’ of a captain) XVI. — (O)F., f. lieu place + tenant holder (see LIEU, TENANT). Forms with f, to which the traditional Eng. pronunc. corresponds, appear in XIV; infl. of LEAVE1 is possible.
Hence lieutenancy XV. Also lieutenant-general †vicegerent XV; rank next below a general XVI. — F. lieutenant général, in which the second word is orig. adj. in lord-lieutenant lieutenant is adj.

lieutenant lōōˈtenənt n.
1. see first lieutenant, second lieutenant.

2. a naval officer of a high rank, in particular a commissioned officer in the U.S. Navy or Coast Guard ranking above lieutenant junior grade and below lieutenant commander.

3. a deputy or substitute acting for a superior: two of Lenin's leading lieutenants.
lieutenancy -ˈtenənsē n. pl. -ies.

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