master sergeant

noun

1. Army, Air Force, Marine Corps. a noncommissioned officer ranking next to the highest noncommissioned officer.
2. U.S. Air Force. a noncommissioned officer of one of the three top enlisted grades.

master sergeant

noun

1. a senior noncommissioned officer in the US Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps and certain other military forces, ranking immediately below the most senior noncommissioned rank

Word History and Origins

Origin of master sergeant¹

First recorded in 1930–35

Example Sentences

His personal assistant was a master sergeant, his chef —or the guy who cooked us lunch—was enlisted, his office manager was a command sergeant major, and the cohost of his podcast is a former Navy Seal.

From Time

Master Sergeant Aaron Torian is survived by his wife Jurley and three children, nine, four, and two years old.

From The Daily Beast

Master Sergeant Aaron Torian was killed in action in Helmand Province on February 15th, 2014.

From The Daily Beast

That was when “instinct kicked in,” said Chief Master Sergeant James Ross, a friend and fellow airman from the 152nd Airlift Wing.

From The Daily Beast

We know little about him except that he is a commando with the rank of E-8 or Master Sergeant.

From The Daily Beast

Back at Fort Bragg, I asked a Special Forces Master Sergeant if he was glad he went to Haiti.

From The Daily Beast

Stand off from him, Dinah Shadd, before he takes you down too—you that look to be a quarther-master-sergeant's wife in five years.

From Project Gutenberg

The longer form of address would also be proper in directing a third party to report to Master Sergeant White.

From Project Gutenberg

The old master sergeant was stating a fact, not asking a question.

From Project Gutenberg

He couldn't remember ever seeing such a young master sergeant.

From Project Gutenberg

At last, to avoid discussion, the quarter-master sergeant took the papers himself, and put them in his greatcoat.

From Project Gutenberg