Are you looking for the abbreviation for lieutenant? Look no further. In this article, we’ll define the word lieutenant, explore its origin, history, and uses. Plus, we’ll examine the abbreviation and identify instances where it’s used instead of the whole word. Let’s get started.
Lieutenant
Noun
There is one common abbreviation for the word lieutenant:
Lt.
However, depending on the branch of the security forces, there may be associated words and abbreviations to consider.
The U.S. Army, Air Force, and Marines have second lieutenants (2nd Lt.) and first lieutenants (1st Lt.).
In the US Navy, roles include lieutenant junior grade (LT JG), lieutenant (LT), and lieutenant commander (LCDR).
When the abbreviation is used as a title, it should always be capitalized.
For example:
2D LT Rodgers served in the U.S. Air Force.
Lt. John Beckman secures the sea borders with the Coast Guard.
Lieutenant Junior Grade Rebecca Fremont uses the abbreviation LTJG.
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Additional Abbreviations for the U.S. Navy / Coast Guard
Pay Grade
Title
Abbreviation
E-1
Seaman Recruit
SR
E-2
Seaman Apprentice
SA
E-3
Seaman
SN
E-4
Petty Officer 3rd Class
PO3
E-5
Petty Officer 2nd Class
PO2
E-6
Petty Officer 1st Class
PO1
E-7
Chief Petty Officer
CPO
E-8
Senior Chief Petty Officer
SCPO
E-9
Master Chief Petty Officer
MCPO
E-9
Command Master Chief Petty Officer
MCPOC
E-9
Fleet Master Chief Petty Officer
FLTCM
E-9
Force Master Chief Petty Officer
FORCM
E-9 Special
Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard
MPCOCG
E-9 Special
Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy
MCPON
W-1
Warrant Officer
WO1
W-2
Chief Warrant Officer 2
CWO2
W-3
Chief Warrant Officer 3
CWO3
W-4
Chief Warrant Officer 4
CWO4
W-5
Chief Warrant Officer 5
CWO5
O-1
Ensign
ENS
O-2
Lieutenant, Junior Grade
LTJG
O-3
Lieutenant
LT
O-4
Lieutenant Commander
LCDR
O-5
Commander
CDR
O-6
Captain
CAPT
O-7
Rear Admiral (lower half)
RDML
O-8
Rear Admiral (upper half)
RADM
O-9
Vice Admiral
VADM
O-10
Admiral Chief of Naval Operations /Commandant of the Coast Guard
ADM
O-10 Special
Fleet Admiral
FADM
Additional Abbreviations for the U.S. Marine Corps
Pay Grade
Title
Abbreviation
E-1
Private
Pvt
E-2
Private First Class
PFC
E-3
Lance Corporal
LCpl
E-4
Corporal
Cpl
E-5
Sergeant
Sgt
E-6
Staff Sergeant
SSgt
E-7
Gunnery Sergeant
GySgt
E-8
Master Sergeant
MSgt
E-8
First Sergeant
1stSgt
E-9
Master Gunnery Sergeant
MGySgt
E-9
Sergeant Major
SgtMaj
E-9 Special
Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps
SgtMajMarCor
W-1
Warrant Officer 1
WO1
W-2
Chief Warrant Officer 2
CW2
W-3
Chief Warrant Officer 3
CW3
W-4
Chief Warrant Officer 4
CW4
W-5
Chief Warrant Officer 5
CW5
O-1
Second Lieutenant
2ndLt
O-2
First Lieutenant
1stLt
O-3
Captain
Capt
O-4
Major
Maj
O-5
Lieutenant Colonel
LtCol
O-6
Colonel
Col
O-7
Brigadier General
BGen
O-8
Major General
MajGen
O-9
Lieutenant General
LtGen
O-10
General
Gen
What Is the Definition of the Word?
The word lieutenant refers to a deputy or substitute who is acting for a superior. He or she is second in command. In the United States, a lieutenant is a commissioned officer whose rank or pay grade is between lieutenant junior grade and lieutenant commander. He or she holds either a military or civil position subordinate to a superior. When the senior officer is not able to fulfill a function, the lieutenant does so on his or her behalf.
According to Wikipedia, a lieutenant is a military, police, or fire department rank. A lieutenant takes the place of a superior when he or she is away or not available. In most military establishments, a lieutenant is an entry-level commissioned officer’s rank. It may be divided into two levels, first and second. A second lieutenant can be abbreviated as 2LT, 2ndLt, 2d Lt, or O1.
The lieutenant or first lieutenant is a higher rank than a second lieutenant. In the U.S., a 2nd Lt. leads a platoon that is comprised of two or more squads of about 16 to 44 soldiers. By contrast, a first lieutenant serves as an executive officer for a Company consisting of 110 to 140 personnel. Abbreviations include 1LT, 1stLt, 1st Lt, and O2.
In the British Army, a 2nd Lt holds such rank for two years. A 1st Lt can hold the position for a period of up to 3 years. In the United States Navy, a lieutenant is the same level as the Army captain, while a second lieutenant in the Navy is equivalent to a first lieutenant in the army. In Brazil, a sub-lieutenant is a noncommissioned officer.
Cambridge Dictionary defines a lieutenant as “an officer of middle rank in the armed forces.”
Besides being a grading rank in the military, the word lieutenant appears in combination with other military and civilian titles to show a second in command or one of lower rank. In the U.S., a lieutenant often describes an officer in a fire or police department ranked below the captain. They may act as the captain whenever he or she is unavailable.
For example, a lieutenant colonel (lt col) rank is below a colonel and above the rank of major. A lieutenant general ranks below a general and above a major general.
A lieutenant general is a three-star military rank used in many countries. The word lieutenant can be traced to the middle ages, where the title was held by the second in command on the battlefield. A lieutenant general was a subordinate to a captain.
In the U.S. and British Navies, a lieutenant commander ranks between a lieutenant and commander. Non-commissioned officers in the U.S. include master sergeants, master chief petty officers, sergeant majors, chief warrant officers, brigadier generals, staff sergeants, corporals, and airmen.
The History and Origin of the Word
Lieutenant is related to the Latin term locum tenens, meaning a person who stands in temporarily for someone else. It is derived from French lieu, or place, and tenant meaning holding. A lieutenant holds a position for a superior, taking his or her place during an absence.
Synonyms for Lieutenant
replacement
understudy
deputy
substitute
reserve
standby
double
Examples of the Word and Abbreviation in Context
“Lt. Gen. Richard M. Clark is Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Deterrence and Nuclear Integration, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Arlington, Virginia. General Clark is responsible to the Secretary and Chief of Staff of the Air Force for focus on Nuclear Deterrence Operations. ” —U.S. Air Force
“Federal authorities have arrested a Marine veteran and U.S. Coast Guard lieutenant who they said was stockpiling weapons and ‘espoused extremist’ and racist views for years as he sought to launch a major attack.“ —ABC News
“Second Lieutenant Jack Roosevelt Robinson was beginning to make history, well before 1947, when he became the first person of his race to play in baseball’s major leagues.” —Prologue Magazine
“A soldier serving at Fort Benning was promoted to lieutenant colonel, the 23rd rank in the United States Army.” —WALB News
“Vasconcellos also won the 2017 BPPA Pictures of the Year award for spot news photography, that time for a Jan. 26, 2017 photo of Brockton firefighter Lt. George Eonas giving a thumbs-up in the direction of the camera, as he was walking into a burning home.” —The Enterprise
Kevin Miller is a growth marketer with an extensive background in Search Engine Optimization, paid acquisition and email marketing. He is also an online editor and writer based out of Los Angeles, CA. He studied at Georgetown University, worked at Google and became infatuated with English Grammar and for years has been diving into the language, demystifying the do's and don'ts for all who share the same passion! He can be found online here.
