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A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a
commissioned officer An officer is a person who holds a position of authority as a member of an armed force or uniformed service. Broadly speaking, "officer" means a commissioned officer, a non-commissioned officer, or a warrant officer. However, absent context ...
rank in the
armed forces A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. It is typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with its members identifiable by their distinct ...
of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often subdivided into senior (
first lieutenant First lieutenant is a commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces; in some forces, it is an appointment. The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations, but in most forces it is sub-divided into a s ...
) and junior (
second lieutenant Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank. Australia The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army until ...
and even third lieutenant) ranks. In navies, it is often equivalent to the army rank of captain; it may also indicate a particular post rather than a rank. The rank is also used in fire services,
emergency medical services Emergency medical services (EMS), also known as ambulance services or paramedic services, are emergency services that provide urgent pre-hospital treatment and stabilisation for serious illness and injuries and transport to definitive care. ...
,
security services Security Service or security service may refer to: Government * Security agency, a nation's institution for intelligence gathering * List of security agencies (MI5, NSA, KGB, etc.) * (SD), Nazi German agency which translates as "Security Servi ...
and
police The police are a constituted body of persons empowered by a state, with the aim to enforce the law, to ensure the safety, health and possessions of citizens, and to prevent crime and civil disorder. Their lawful powers include arrest and t ...
forces. Lieutenant may also appear as part of a title used in various other organisations with a codified command structure. It often designates someone who is "
second-in-command Second-in-command (2i/c or 2IC) is a title denoting that the holder of the title is the second-highest authority within a certain organisation. Usage In the British Army or Royal Marines, the second-in-command is the deputy commander of a unit, ...
", and as such, may precede the name of the rank directly above it. For example, a "lieutenant master" is likely to be second-in-command to the "master" in an organisation using both ranks. Political uses include
lieutenant governor A lieutenant governor, lieutenant-governor, or vice governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction. Often a lieutenant governor is the deputy, or lieutenant, to or ranked under a governor — a "second-in-comm ...
in various governments, such as the viceregal representatives of the Crown in
Canadian provinces Within the geographical areas of Canada, the ten provinces and three territories are sub-national administrative divisions under the jurisdiction of the Canadian Constitution. In the 1867 Canadian Confederation, three provinces of British North ...
. In the
United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
, a
lord lieutenant A lord-lieutenant ( ) is the British monarch's personal representative in each lieutenancy area of the United Kingdom. Historically, each lieutenant was responsible for organising the county's militia. In 1871, the lieutenant's responsibility ...
is the sovereign's representative in a county or lieutenancy area, while a deputy lieutenant is one of the lord lieutenant's deputies.


Etymology

The word ''lieutenant'' derives from
French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
; the ''lieu'' meaning "place" as in a position ( cf.
in lieu of IN, In or in may refer to: Places * India (country code IN) * Indiana, United States (postal code IN) * Ingolstadt, Germany (license plate code IN) * In, Russia, a town in the Jewish Autonomous Oblast Businesses and organizations * Independ ...
); and ''tenant'' meaning "holding" as in "holding a position"; thus a "lieutenant" is a placeholder for a superior, during their absence (compare the Latin '' locum tenens''). In the 19th century, British writers who considered this word either an imposition on the English language, or difficult for common soldiers and sailors, argued for it to be replaced by the
calque In linguistics, a calque () or loan translation is a word or phrase borrowed from another language by literal word-for-word or root-for-root translation. When used as a verb, "to calque" means to borrow a word or phrase from another language wh ...
"steadholder". However, their efforts failed, and the French word is still used, along with its many variations (e.g.
lieutenant colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...
,
lieutenant general Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...
,
lieutenant commander Lieutenant commander (also hyphenated lieutenant-commander and abbreviated Lt Cdr, LtCdr. or LCDR) is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander. The corresponding rank i ...
,
flight lieutenant Flight lieutenant is a junior commissioned rank in air forces that use the Royal Air Force (RAF) system of ranks, especially in Commonwealth countries. It has a NATO rank code of OF-2. Flight lieutenant is abbreviated as Flt Lt in the India ...
,
second lieutenant Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank. Australia The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army until ...
and many non-English language examples), in both the
Old Old or OLD may refer to: Places *Old, Baranya, Hungary *Old, Northamptonshire, England *Old Street station, a railway and tube station in London (station code OLD) *OLD, IATA code for Old Town Municipal Airport and Seaplane Base, Old Town, Mai ...
and the
New World The term ''New World'' is often used to mean the majority of Earth's Western Hemisphere, specifically the Americas."America." ''The Oxford Companion to the English Language'' (). McArthur, Tom, ed., 1992. New York: Oxford University Press, p. 3 ...
.


Pronunciation

Pronunciation of ''lieutenant'' as is generally associated with the armies of British Commonwealth countries and the
Republic of Ireland Ireland ( ga, Éire ), also known as the Republic of Ireland (), is a country in north-western Europe consisting of 26 of the 32 counties of the island of Ireland. The capital and largest city is Dublin, on the eastern side of the island. A ...
, while is generally associated with the United States military. American Heritage Dictionary, s.v
"Lieutenant"
The early history of the pronunciation is unclear;
Middle English Middle English (abbreviated to ME) is a form of the English language that was spoken after the Norman conquest of 1066, until the late 15th century. The English language underwent distinct variations and developments following the Old English p ...
spellings suggest that both pronunciations may have existed even then.
Oxford English Dictionary The ''Oxford English Dictionary'' (''OED'') is the first and foundational historical dictionary of the English language, published by Oxford University Press (OUP). It traces the historical development of the English language, providing a com ...
.
The majority of sixteenth- and seventeenth-century sources show pronunciations with /v/ or /f/, but Bullokar has /liu/. The rare
Old French Old French (, , ; Modern French: ) was the language spoken in most of the northern half of France from approximately the 8th to the 14th centuries. Rather than a unified language, Old French was a linkage of Romance dialects, mutually intelligib ...
variant spelling ''leuf'' for
Modern French French ( or ) is a Romance language of the Indo-European family. It descended from the Vulgar Latin of the Roman Empire, as did all Romance languages. French evolved from Gallo-Romance, the Latin spoken in Gaul, and more specifically in Nor ...
''lieu'' ('place') supports the suggestion that a final of the Old French word was in certain environments perceived as an . Furthermore, in Latin, the ''lingua franca'' of the era, the letter v is used for both u and v. In Royal Naval (RN) tradition—and other English-speaking navies outside the United States—a reduced pronunciation is used. This is not recognised as current by recent editions of the
OED The ''Oxford English Dictionary'' (''OED'') is the first and foundational historical dictionary of the English language, published by Oxford University Press (OUP). It traces the historical development of the English language, providing a com ...
(although the RN pronunciation was included in editions of OED up until the 1970s).


Military rank


Lieutenant

The senior grade of lieutenant is known as first lieutenant in the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
, and as lieutenant in the
United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
and the rest of the
English-speaking Speakers of English are also known as Anglophones, and the countries where English is natively spoken by the majority of the population are termed the ''Anglosphere''. Over two billion people speak English , making English the largest language ...
world. In countries that do not speak English, the rank title usually translates as "lieutenant", but may also translate as "first lieutenant" or "senior lieutenant". The Israel Defense Forces rank ''segen'' (סגן) literally translates as "deputy", which is equivalent to a lieutenant. In the Finnish military there is a
senior lieutenant Senior lieutenant is a military grade between a lieutenant and a captain, often used by countries from the former Eastern Bloc. It is comparable to first lieutenant. Finland ( sv, premiärlöjtnant) is a Finnish military rank above ( sv, löjt ...
grade that ranks above lieutenant and second lieutenant but below captain; it does not have an English equivalent. In Germany it is called
Oberleutnant () is the highest lieutenant officer rank in the German-speaking armed forces of Germany (Bundeswehr), the Austrian Armed Forces, and the Swiss Armed Forces. Austria Germany In the German Army, it dates from the early 19th century. Trans ...
(senior lieutenant).


Army rank

Conventionally, armies and other services or branches that use army-style rank titles have two grades of lieutenant, but a few also use a third, more junior, rank. Historically, the "lieutenant" was the deputy to a "captain", and as the rank structure of armies began to formalise, this came to mean that a
captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
commanded a
company A company, abbreviated as co., is a Legal personality, legal entity representing an association of people, whether Natural person, natural, Legal person, legal or a mixture of both, with a specific objective. Company members share a common p ...
and had several lieutenants, each commanding a
platoon A platoon is a military unit typically composed of two or more squads, sections, or patrols. Platoon organization varies depending on the country and the branch, but a platoon can be composed of 50 people, although specific platoons may range ...
. Where more junior officers were employed as deputies to the lieutenant, they went by many names, including second lieutenant, sub-lieutenant, ensign and
cornet The cornet (, ) is a brass instrument similar to the trumpet but distinguished from it by its conical bore, more compact shape, and mellower tone quality. The most common cornet is a transposing instrument in B, though there is also a sopr ...
. Some parts of the
British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...
, including the
Royal Artillery The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery (RA) and colloquially known as "The Gunners", is one of two regiments that make up the artillery arm of the British Army. The Royal Regiment of Artillery comprises t ...
,
Royal Engineers The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually called the Royal Engineers (RE), and commonly known as the ''Sappers'', is a corps of the British Army. It provides military engineering and other technical support to the British Armed Forces and is heade ...
and
fusilier Fusilier is a name given to various kinds of soldiers; its meaning depends on the historical context. While fusilier is derived from the 17th-century French language, French word ''fusil'' – meaning a type of flintlock musket – the term has ...
regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, service and/or a specialisation. In Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of front-line soldiers, recruited or conscripted ...
s, used first lieutenant as well as second lieutenant until the end of the 19th century, and some British Army regiments still preserve cornet as an official alternative to second lieutenant. There is great variation in the insignia used worldwide. In most English-speaking and Arabic-speaking countries, as well as a number of European and South American nations, full lieutenants (and equivalents) usually wear two stars (pips) and second lieutenants (and equivalents) one. An example of an exception is the United States, whose armed forces distinguish their lieutenant ranks with a silver bar for first lieutenant and brass bar for second lieutenant. ALB-Army-OF-1b.svg,
(
Albanian Army The Albanian Land Force ( sq, Forca Tokësore të Republikës së Shqipërisë) is the land force branch of the Albanian Armed Forces. Mission The Albanian Land Force's main mission is the defense of the independence, sovereignty and territoria ...
) 08.AlgA-1LT.svg,

(
Algerian Land Forces The Algerian Land Forces ( ar, القوات البرية الجزائرية, , Algerian Land Forces) are the land forces of the Algerian People's National Army. The forces' equipment is supplied by Russia and various other countries. The force ...
) Angola-Army-OF-1b.svg,
(
Angolan Army The Angolan Army () is the land component of the Angolan Armed Forces (FAA). History On August 1, 1974, a few months after a military coup d'état had overthrown the Lisbon regime and proclaimed its intention of granting independence to Angola, ...
) Argentina-Army-OF-1b.svg,
(
Argentine Army The Argentine Army ( es, Ejército Argentino, EA) is the land force branch of the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic and the senior military service of Argentina. Under the Argentine Constitution, the president of Argentina is the commander- ...
) Post-Soviet-Army-OF-1b.svg,

( Armenian Ground Forces) Australian Army OF-1b.svg, Lieutenant
(
Australian Army The Australian Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of Australia, a part of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. The Army is commanded by the Chief of Army (Austral ...
) Bundesheer - Rank insignia - Leutnant.png,
(
Austrian Army The Austrian Armed Forces (german: Bundesheer, lit=Federal Army) are the combined military forces of the Republic of Austria. The military consists of 22,050 active-duty personnel and 125,600 reservists. The military budget is 0.74% of natio ...
) 10.AzAF-LT.png,
( Azerbaijani Land Forces) Bangladesh-army-OF-1b.svg, Lieutenant

( Bangladesh Army) Post-Soviet-Army-OF-1b.svg,

( Belarusian Ground Forces) Army-BEL-OF-01a.svg,
(
Belgian Land Component The Land Component ( nl, Landcomponent, french: Composante terre) is the land branch of the Belgian Armed Forces. The King of the Belgians is the commander in chief. The current chief of staff of the Land Component is Major-General Pierre Gérard. ...
) Belize-Army-OF-1b.svg, Lieutenant
( Belize Ground Forces) Benin Army OF-1b.svg,
( Benin Army) TteEB.svg,
( Bolivian Army) 08.Bhutan Army-1LT.svg, Lieutenant
(
Royal Bhutan Army The Royal Bhutan Army (RBA; dz, བསྟན་སྲུང་དམག་སྡེ་, bStan-srung dmag-sde) is a branch of the armed forces of the Kingdom of Bhutan responsible for maintaining the country's territorial integrity and sovereign ...
) 11.RBrLF-1LT.svg,
( Royal Brunei Land Forces) Rank insignia of Лейтенант of the Bulgarian Army.png,

( Bulgarian Land Forces) 09. Burkina Faso Army - 1LT.svg,
( Burkina Faso Ground Forces) Burundi-Army-OF-1a.svg,

( Burundi Ground Forces) Cameroon-Army-OF-1b.svg,
( Cameroon Ground Forces) Canadian Army OF-1b.svg, Lieutenant

(
Canadian Army The Canadian Army (french: Armée canadienne) is the command responsible for the operational readiness of the conventional ground forces of the Canadian Armed Forces. It maintains regular forces units at bases across Canada, and is also respo ...
) Cape_Verde-army-OF-1b.svg,
( Cape Verdean National Guard) 11.CAGF-1LT.svg,
( Central African Ground Forces) Chad-Army-OF-1b.svg,
(
Chadian Ground Forces The Chadian Ground Forces (french: Armée de terre tchadienne) are the main and largest component of the Chadian National Army (''Armée nationale tchadienne''). Historically Chad has had one of the strongest armies in the Sahara region, larger tha ...
) SS.OO.3.EJER.TENIENTE.svg,
( Chilean Army) Colombia-Army-OF-1b.svg,
(
Colombian Army The National Army of Colombia ( es, Ejército Nacional de Colombia) is the land warfare service branch of the Military Forces of Colombia. With over 361,420 active personnel as of 2020, it is the largest and oldest service branch in Colombia, ...
) Comoros-Army-OF-1b.svg,
(
Comorian Army The Comorian Armed Forces (french: Armée nationale de développement; ) consist of a small standing army and a 500-member police force, as well as a 500-member defense force. A defense treaty with France provides naval resources for protection of ...
) DR Congo Army OF-1b.svg,
( Land Forces of the DR Congo) 09-ROCongo Army-1LT.svg,
( Congolese Ground Forces) Cuba-Army-OF-1b.svg,
(
Cuban Revolutionary Army The Cuban Revolutionary Army ( es, Ejército Revolucionario) serve as the ground forces of Cuba. Formed in 1868 during the Ten Years' War, it was originally known as the Cuban Constitutional Army. Following the Cuban Revolution, the revolutiona ...
) Denmark-Army-OF-1a-M11.svg,
(
Royal Danish Army The Royal Danish Army ( da, Hæren, fo, Herurin, kl, Sakkutuut) is the land-based branch of the Danish Defence, together with the Danish Home Guard. For the last decade, the Royal Danish Army has undergone a massive transformation of structures ...
) Djibouti-Army-OF-1b.svg,
(
Djiboutian Army The Djiboutian National Army is the largest branch of the Djibouti Armed Forces and is based in the Djiboutian capital of Djibouti. Djibouti has upgraded its Ground Forces with advanced additions from domestic engineering and modifications. It mus ...
) 10.ECA-1LT.svg,
( Ecuadorian Army) El-Salvador-Army-OF-1b.svg,
( Salvadoran Army) 08. EGLF-1LT.svg,
( Army of Equatorial Guinea) ES-Army-OF13.svg,
(
Estonian Land Forces The Estonian Land Forces ( et, Maavägi), unofficially referred to as the Estonian Army, is the name of the unified ground forces among the Estonian Defense Forces where it has an offensive military formation role. It is currently the largest ...
) Fijian-OF-01b.svg, Lieutenant
(
Fiji Infantry Regiment The Fiji Infantry Regiment is the main combat element of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces. It is a light infantry regiment consisting of six battalions, of which three are regular army and three are Territorial Force. The regiment was formed w ...
) Luutnantti M05.svg,

( Finnish Army) Army-FRA-OF-01a.svg,
(
French Army The French Army, officially known as the Land Army (french: Armée de Terre, ), is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces. It is responsible to the Government of France, along with the other components of the Armed For ...
) 10.GLF-LT.svg,
(
Gabonese Army The Armed Forces of Gabon (french: Forces armées gabonaises) or the Gabonese Defense and Security Forces (french: forces de défense et de sécurité gabonaises) is the national professional military of the Republic of Gabon, divided into the Army ...
) Georgia Army OF-1b.png,

(
Georgian Land Forces The Georgian Land Forces ( ka, საქართველოს სახმელეთო ძალები) are the land force component of the Defense Forces of Georgia. They are the largest branch of the military and constitute the bulk o ...
) HD H 41 Leutnant FschJg.svg,
(
German Army The German Army (, "army") is the land component of the armed forces of Germany. The present-day German Army was founded in 1955 as part of the newly formed West German ''Bundeswehr'' together with the ''Marine'' (German Navy) and the ''Luftwaf ...
) 08-Ghana Army-1LT.svg, Lieutenant
( Ghana Army) Guatemala-army-OF-1b.svg,
( Guatemalan Army) Mali-Army-OF-1b.svg,
( Guinea Ground Forces) Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Lieutenant rank insignia.svg, Lieutenant
( Guyana Army) Haiti-Army-OF-1b.svg,
(
Haitian Army The Armed Forces of Haiti (french: Forces Armées d'Haïti—FAd'H), consisted of the Haitian Army, Haitian Navy (at times), the Haitian Air Force, Haitian Coast Guard, (ANI) and some police forces (Port-au-Prince Police). The Army was always ...
) HON-army-OF-1b.svg,
(
Honduran Army The Armed Forces of Honduras ( es, Fuerzas Armadas de Honduras), consists of the Honduran Army, Honduran Navy and Honduran Air Force. History Pre-1979 The Armed Forces of Honduras were created through article 44, subsection 4 of the First Consti ...
) Lieutenant of the Indian Army.svg, Lieutenant

(
Indian Army The Indian Army is the land-based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Army, and its professional head is the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), who is a four- ...
) Ireland-Army-OF-1b.svg, Lieutenant

( Irish Army) Rank insignia of tenete of the Army of Italy (1973).svg,
(
Italian Army "The safeguard of the republic shall be the supreme law" , colors = , colors_labels = , march = ''Parata d'Eroi'' ("Heroes's parade") by Francesco Pellegrino, ''4 Maggio'' (May 4) ...
) Ivory Coast-Army-OF-1b.svg,
( Ivory Coast Ground Forces) Jamaica-Army-OF-1b.svg, Lieutenant
( Jamaican Army) 11-RKGF-LT.svg,

( Kazakh Ground Forces) 08. Kenyan Army LT.svg, Lieutenant
( Kenya Army) Kosovo-Army-OF-1b.svg,
(Kosovo Security Force) 08.Kyrgyzstan Army-LT.svg,

(Kyrgyz Army) LV-Army-OF1b.png,
(Latvian Land Forces) blank.svg, Lieutenant
(Lesotho Defence Force, Lesotho Army) 13-Lithuania Army-2LT.svg,
(Lithuanian Land Forces) Army-LUX-OF-01b.svg,
(Luxembourg Army) Madagascar-Army-OF-1b.svg,
(Madagascar People's Armed Forces, Madagascar Ground Forces) 08. Malawi Army - LT.svg, Lieutenant
(Malawian Defence Force, Malawian Army) 09.Malta Army-1LT.svg,
(Armed Forces of Malta, Army of Malta) Malaysia-army-OF-1b.svg,
(Malaysian Army) 06.Mali Army-1LT.svg,
(Malian Armed Forces, Malian Army) Mexico army OF1b.svg,
(Mexican Army) 09-Moldovan Army-2LT.svg,
(Moldovan Ground Forces) Monaco-army-OF-1b.svg,
(Military of Monaco, Army of Monaco) 11-Moroccan Army-1LT.svg,
(Royal Moroccan Army) Mozambique-Army-OF-1b.svg,
(Mozambique Defence Armed Forces, Mozambican Army) 08-Namibia Army-1LT.svg, Lieutenant
(Namibian Army) 12.Nepalese Army-1LT.svg, Lieutenant

(Nepali Army) New Zealand-Army-OF-1b.svg, Lieutenant
(New Zealand Army) 08-Nicaragua Army-2LT.svg,
(Nicaraguan Army) blank.svg,
(Niger Armed Forces, Niger Ground Forces) Nigeria-Army-OF-1b.svg, Lieutenant
(Nigerian Army) OF-1(B) Pakistan Army.svg, Lieutenant

(Pakistani Army) Paraguay-Army-OF-1b.svg,
(Paraguayan Army) Peru-Army-OF-1b.svg,
(Peruvian Army) Army-POR-OF-01a.svg,
(Portuguese Army) Romania-Army-OF-1b.svg,
(Romanian Land Forces) Russia-Army-OF-1b-2010.svg,

(Russian Ground Forces) 08-Rwanda Army-1LT.svg, Lieutenant
(Rwanda Defence Force, Rwandan Land Forces) Belize-Army-OF-1b.svg, Lieutenant
(Saint Kitts and Nevis Defence Force, SKN Regiment) Guardia_di_Rocca_OF1b.png,
(Sammarinese Armed Forces, Sammarinese Guard of the Rock) STeP OF-1b.svg,
(Armed Forces of São Tomé and Príncipe, Army of São Tomé and Príncipe) Senegal-Army-OF-1b.svg,
(Armed Forces of Senegal, Senegalese Army) Seychelles Army OF-01b (2018).svg, Lieutenant
(Seychelles People's Defence Force, Seychelles Infantry Unit) 02-RSA-OF01b.svg, Lieutenant
(Singapore Army) SAA-OF-1b.svg, Lieutenant
(South African Army) Spain-Army-OF-1b.svg,
(Spanish Army) Sri Lanka-army-OF-1b.svg, Lieutenant
(Sri Lanka Army) Sweden-Field-OF-1b (2019).svg,
(Swedish Army) CHE OF1b Lt.svg,
(Swiss Army) Post-Soviet-Army-OF-1b.svg,

(Tajik Ground Forces) 09-Tanzania Army-1LT.svg, Lieutenant

(Tanzania People's Defence Force, Tanzanian Army) Timor-Leste-Army-OF-1b.svg,
(Timor Leste Defence Force, Timor-Leste Army) Togo-Army-OF-1b.svg,
(Togolese Armed Forces, Togolese Army) Tonga-Army-OF-1b.svg, Lieutenant
(His Majesty's Armed Forces (Tonga), Tongan Land Component) TaT-Army-OF-1b.svg, Lieutenant
(Trinidad and Tobago Regiment) Post-Soviet-Army-OF-1b.svg,
(Turkmen Ground Forces) Uganda-Army-OF-1b.svg, Lieutenant
(Uganda People's Defence Force, Ugandan Land Forces) UA shoulder mark 12.svg,

(Ukrainian Ground Forces) British Army OF-1b.svg, Lieutenant
(Lieutenant (British Army and Royal Marines), British Army) Rank insignia of Leutnant (OF-1b) Pontifical Swiss Guard.svg,
(Swiss Guard) TTEEJB-GNB.png,
(Venezuelan Army) Uzbekistan-army-OF-1b.svg,
(Uzbek Ground Forces) blank.svg, Lieutenant
(Zambian Army) Zimbabwe-Army-OF-1b.svg, Lieutenant
(Zimbabwe National Army)


Marine rank

The United States Marine Corps and British Royal Marines both use army ranks, while many former Eastern-Bloc marine forces retain the naval form. Before 1999 the Royal Marines enjoyed the same rank structure as the army, but at a grade higher; thus a Royal Marine captain ranked with and was paid the same as a British Army major. This historical remnant caused increasing confusion in multi-national operations and was abolished. Generic-Navy-O2.svg,
(Colombian Naval Infantry) Maldives Army OF-1b.svg, Lieutenant

(MNDF Marine Corps, Maldivian Marine Corps) 7in.png,
(Spanish Marine Infantry) OF-1 Löjtnant AMF hylsa.jpg,
(Swedish Amphibious Corps) British Royal Marines OF-1b.svg, Lieutenant (British Army and Royal Marines), Lieutenant
(Royal Marines)


Air force rank

While some air forces use the army rank system, the British Royal Air Force and many other Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth air forces use another rank system in which
flight lieutenant Flight lieutenant is a junior commissioned rank in air forces that use the Royal Air Force (RAF) system of ranks, especially in Commonwealth countries. It has a NATO rank code of OF-2. Flight lieutenant is abbreviated as Flt Lt in the India ...
ranks with an army captain and naval lieutenant, a flying officer ranks with an army lieutenant and a pilot officer with an army second lieutenant. RAAF O3 rank.png, Flight lieutenant
(Royal Australian Air Force) CDN-Air Force-Lieutenant (OF1A)-2015.svg, Lieutenant
(Royal Canadian Air Force) Indian IAF OF-2.svg, Flight lieutenant
(Indian Air Force) Teniente de la FAM.gif,
(Mexican Air Force) RO-Airforce-OF-2bs.PNG,
(Romanian Air Force) SAAF-OF-1b.svg, Lieutenant
(South African Air Force) Tte-ea.svg,
(Spanish Air Force) SWE-Airforce-löjtnant.png,
(Swedish Air Force) Thai air O2.png, Flight lieutenant
(Royal Thai Air Force) British RAF OF-2.svg, Flight lieutenant
(Royal Air Force)
In the US Air Force, the Third Lieutenant Program refers specifically to a training program at active duty air force bases for cadets of the United States Air Force Academy, Air Force Academy and Air Force ROTC the summer before their fourth and final year before graduation and commissioning. A single silver or subdued pip is used to designate this rank. The Royal Air Force also has an acting pilot officer designation, the most junior commissioned rank in the British armed forces. It is functionally equivalent to third lieutenant.


Naval rank

During the early days of the naval rank, a lieutenant might be very junior indeed, or might be on the cusp of promotion to captain; by modern standards, he might rank with any army rank between second lieutenant and lieutenant colonel. As the rank structure of navies stabilized, and the ranks of commander, lieutenant commander and sub-lieutenant were introduced, the naval lieutenant came to rank with an army captain (NATO OF-2 or US O-3). The insignia of a lieutenant in many navies, including the Royal Navy, consists of two medium gold braid stripes (top stripe with loop) on a navy blue or black background. This pattern was copied by the United States Navy and various Air Forces for their equivalent ranks grades, except that the loop is removed (see
flight lieutenant Flight lieutenant is a junior commissioned rank in air forces that use the Royal Air Force (RAF) system of ranks, especially in Commonwealth countries. It has a NATO rank code of OF-2. Flight lieutenant is abbreviated as Flt Lt in the India ...
). File:French Navy-Rama NG-OF1b.svg, France File:GR-Navy-OF2.svg, Greece File:IN Lieutenant.png, India File:PN LTSG WhtDr.svg, Philippines (Lieutenant Senior Grade) File:POR-Navy-primeiro-tenente.png, Portugal File:Russia-Navy-OF-1b.svg, Russia File:US Navy O3 insignia.svg, United States


Lieutenant commander

Lieutenants were commonly put in command of smaller vessels not warranting a commander or captain: such a lieutenant was called a "lieutenant commanding" or "lieutenant commandant" in the United States Navy, and a "lieutenant in command" or "lieutenant and commander" in the Royal Navy. The USN settled on "lieutenant commander" in 1862, and made it a distinct rank; the Royal Navy followed suit in March 1914. The insignia of an additional half-thickness stripe between the two full stripes of a lieutenant was introduced in 1877 for a Royal Navy lieutenant of 8 years seniority, and used for lieutenant commanders upon introduction of their rank.


Senior lieutenant


First lieutenant


"First lieutenant" in naval use

The first lieutenant in the Royal Navy and other Commonwealth navies, is a post or appointment, rather than a rank. Historically the lieutenants in a ship were ranked in accordance with seniority, with the most senior being termed the "first lieutenant" and acting as the
second-in-command Second-in-command (2i/c or 2IC) is a title denoting that the holder of the title is the second-highest authority within a certain organisation. Usage In the British Army or Royal Marines, the second-in-command is the deputy commander of a unit, ...
. Although lieutenants are no longer numbered by seniority, the post of "first lieutenant" remains. In minor war vessels, destroyers and frigates the first lieutenant (either a lieutenant or lieutenant-commander) is second in command, executive officer (XO) and head of the executive branch; in larger ships where a commander of the warfare specialization is appointed as the executive officer, a first lieutenant (normally a lieutenant-commander) is appointed as his deputy. The post of first lieutenant in a shore establishment carries a similar responsibility to the first lieutenant of a capital ship. In the U.S. Navy or U.S. Coast Guard the billet of first lieutenant describes the officer in charge of the deck department or division, depending upon the size of the ship. In smaller ships with only a single deck division, the billet is typically filled by an ensign while in larger ships with a deck department, consisting of multiple subordinate divisions, the billet may be filled by a lieutenant commander. On submarines and smaller Coast Guard cutters the billet of first lieutenant may be filled by a petty officer.


Second lieutenant

Second lieutenant is usually the most junior grade of commissioned officer. In most cases, newly commissioned officers do not remain at the rank for long before being promoted, and both university graduates and officers commissioned from the ranks may skip the rank altogether.


Third lieutenant


United States rank

In March 1813, the US Army created the rank of third lieutenant. The rank was used as the entry level officer rank for the Ordnance Department and the Corps of Artillery until March 1821. Throughout the 19th century and until as late as World War II the United States Army sometimes referred to Brevet (military), brevet
second lieutenant Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank. Australia The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army until ...
s as "third lieutenants". These were typically newly commissioned officers for which no authorized second lieutenant position existed. Additionally, the Confederate States Army also used "third lieutenant", typically as the lowest ranking commissioned officer in an infantry company. Notably, the United States Revenue Cutter Service used a simple officer rank structure with Captain, First, Second and Third Lieutenants, each of whom had distinct insignia. The title of Third Lieutenant, essentially equal to the rank of ensign, existed until 1915 when the Service became the nucleus of the new United States Coast Guard. Because of the time required to fully establish this organization the rank continued for some time afterwards; the first Coast Guard aviator, Elmer F. Stone, was a third lieutenant until 1918.


Sub-lieutenant

In the Royal Navy, the commissioned rank of mate was created in 1840, and was renamed sub-lieutenant in 1860. In the US Navy, the rank was called Master (naval), master until 1883, when it was renamed lieutenant, junior grade. In many navies, a sub-lieutenant is a naval commissioned officer, commissioned or subordinate officer, ranking below a lieutenant, but in Brazil it is the highest non-commissioned rank, and in Spain it is the second highest non-commissioned rank. In Portugal, sub-lieutenant is the rank of a junior naval officer graduated from a civil university or promoted from a NCO rank, while the equivalent rank of an officer graduated in the naval academy is designated midshipman.


Other uses


Police rank


France and the French Union

The first French Lieutenant of Police, Gabriel Nicolas de la Reynie, was appointed in Paris by Louis XIV on 15 March 1667 to command a reformed police force. He was later elevated to Prefecture of Police, Lieutenant-General of Police. In the 17th century, the term "lieutenant" corresponded to "deputy" (i.e. a person appointed to carry out a task). La Reynie was the deputy for policing duties of the Provost of Paris, the ceremonial representative of the King in Paris. In 1995, the rank of ''lieutenant'' was introduced in the National Police (France), National Police as the first rank of the police officers scale.


United Kingdom and Commonwealth police forces

The rank of Lieutenant was formerly used in areas outside of the Metropolitan Police. The adoption of standardized ranks across the United Kingdom has eliminated its use. A number of city and burgh police forces in Scotland used the rank of lieutenant (and detective lieutenant) between inspector and superintendent from 1812 to 1948. It was replaced by the rank of chief inspector. The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary (founded 1871) had the rank of lieutenant between staff sergeant and inspector until 1997. In Australia, Queensland's first police force (founded 1864) had second lieutenants and lieutenants between the ranks of sergeant and inspector-general.


United States police forces

The rank of police lieutenant is used in most medium or large police departments in the United States, where it is one rank above sergeant and two ranks above a regular police officer (three in departments with a corporal rank). It is roughly equivalent to an inspector in the British and Canadian police forces. The usual role of a lieutenant is to carry out administrative duties and assist precinct commanders (normally a Captain, or sometimes the local police chiefs). In smaller police departments, they may command a precinct itself. Lieutenants either command a watch (8-hour "shift") of regular officers or a special unit for operations or investigations (like a Robbery-Homicide squad). The typical rank insignia for a lieutenant is a single silver bar (like that of an Army or Marine Corps First Lieutenant) or a single gold bar (like that of an Army or Marine Corps Second Lieutenant). Some police departments split the rank of lieutenant into two separate grades.


Other nations

Bangladesh Police ASP Rank.svg, Assistant Superintendent
(Bangladesh Police) Insignia PM O6.PNG, 2nd Lieutenant
(Military Police (Brazil)) Insignia PM O5.PNG, 1st Lieutenant
(Military Police (Brazil)) Assistant SP IPS 2.png, Assistant Superintendent
(Police ranks and insignia of India#Ranks of law enforcement in India, Indian Police Service) PNP PI.png, Police Lieutenant
(Philippine National Police) POL policja komisarz.svg, Komisarz
(Polish Policja) Inspector.png, Inspector
(Romanian Police) Ukrainian police shoulder mark 06.svg, Police Lieutenant
(National Police of Ukraine) US-O1 insignia.svg, US Police 2nd Lieutenant
(Police ranks of the United States) US-O2 insignia.svg, US Police 1st Lieutenant
(Police ranks of the United States) Russia-Police-OF-1b-2013.svg, Police Lieutenant
(Police of Russia)


Fire services rank


Singapore

In the Singapore Civil Defence Force, the rank of lieutenant (LTA) is the second-lowest Officer (armed forces), commissioned rank. The rank insignia of LTA is two pips.


Political titles


Canada

In Canada, the representative of the Canadian monarch in each province is called the Lieutenant Governor (Canada), Lieutenant Governor. The Lieutenant Governor exercises all the royal prerogative powers that the monarch holds.


France

In History of France, French history, "lieutenant du roi" was a title borne by the officer sent with military powers to represent the king in certain provinces. It is in the sense of a deputy that it has entered into the titles of more senior officers,
lieutenant general Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...
and
lieutenant colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...
.


United Kingdom

The British monarch's representatives in the counties of the
United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
are called Lord Lieutenant, Lords Lieutenant. The Lord Lieutenant of Ireland performed the function of viceroy in Ireland.


United States

The Lieutenant governor (United States), Lieutenant Governor is an official in State governments of the United States, state governments of 45 out of 50
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
. In most cases, the lieutenant governor is the highest officer of state after the Governor (United States), governor, standing in for the governor when they are absent from the state or temporarily incapacitated. In the event a governor dies, resigns, or is removed from office, the lieutenant governor typically becomes governor. In the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
, a Governor (United States), governor serves as the chief executive officer and commander-in-chief in each of the fifty U.S. state, states and in the five permanently inhabited Territories of the United States, territories, functioning as both head of state and head of government therein.


Other organisations


The Boys' Brigade

Leaders, or officers of the Boys' Brigade, particularly in the United Kingdom, are ranked as lieutenants after having completed their formal training, before which they are ranked as warrant officers. Officers serving in staff or command posts are awarded the "brevet" rank of captain, these officers then revert to their lieutenancy after having completed their tour of duty.


National Civil Defence Cadet Corps

The rank of cadet lieutenant (CLT) is given to officer cadet trainees who have passed their officer's course. The rank insignia of CLT is a pip and a bar below it. CLTs may be promoted to the rank of senior cadet lieutenant (S/CLT), which has a rank insignia of a pip and two bars below it.


The Salvation Army

The Salvation Army also uses lieutenant to denote first time officers, or clergymen/women.


See also

*Captain lieutenant *Military rank *Comparative military ranks *Tenentism


References


External links

* {{Authority control Military ranks Naval ranks Police ranks Military ranks of the Nepali Army