sergeant

American  

[sahr-juhnt] / ˈsɑr dʒənt /

especially British, serjeant

noun

1. a noncommissioned army officer of a rank above that of corporal.

2. U.S. Air Force. any noncommissioned officer above the rank of airman first class.

3. a police officer ranking immediately below a captain or a lieutenant in the U.S. and immediately below an inspector in Britain.

4. a title of a particular office or function at the court of a monarch (often used in combination).

   sergeant of the larder; sergeant-caterer.

5. sergeant at arms.

6. Also called sergeant at law.  British. (formerly) a member of a superior order of barristers.

7. sergeantfish.

8. (initial capital letter) a surface-to-surface, single-stage, U.S. ballistic missile.

9. a tenant by military service, below the rank of knight.

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sergeant British  

/ ˈsɑːdʒənsɪ, ˈsɑːdʒənt /

noun

1. a noncommissioned officer in certain armed forces, usually ranking above a corporal

2. 1. (in Britain) a police officer ranking between constable and inspector

   2. (in the US) a police officer ranking below a captain

3. See sergeant at arms

4. a court or municipal officer who has ceremonial duties

5. (formerly) a tenant by military service, not of knightly rank

6. See serjeant at law

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Other Word Forms

• sergeancy noun
• sergeantship noun

Etymology

Origin of sergeant

1150–1200; Middle English sergant, serjant, serjaunt < Old French sergent < Latin servient- (stem of serviēns ), present participle of servīre. See serve, -ent

Example Sentences

In fact Mr Hunt, who went on to become a police sergeant like his father, says he was told by police senior management that the death did not merit a bravery award.

From BBC

The family expects the Air Force staff sergeant to be in acute care for the next two to three weeks, and they feel optimistic about his progress, said the governor in a statement.

From BBC

“Administrators and teachers should not be able to do what a Marine Corps drill sergeant is prohibited from doing.”

From Los Angeles Times

Ruslan Stakhov, a junior sergeant in the same unit, typically uses a drone that intercepts Russian surveillance drones and has downed around 25 of them.

From The Wall Street Journal

The dress code was updated soon thereafter by Martha Pope, the first female sergeant at arms.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• agent
• informer
• police officer
• private eye
• private investigator
• prosecutor
• reporter
• sleuth
• spy