lieutenant colonel

American  

noun

U.S. Military.

1. a commissioned officer ranking next below a colonel and next above a major.

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lieutenant colonel British  

noun

1. an officer holding commissioned rank immediately junior to a colonel in certain armies, air forces, and marine corps

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Etymology

Origin of lieutenant colonel

First recorded in 1590–1600

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

lieutenant colonel

Travis Haines, a lieutenant colonel in the Canadian Armed Forces, told the BBC he believes the boost in recruitment is in large part tied to the military reducing bureaucratic hurdles.

From BBC ● May 9, 2026

Marín Chaparro, the lieutenant colonel arrested in the same wave, had also served his sentence.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 9, 2026

Guest: Adam Kinzinger, former Republican Congressman for Illinois’s 11th and 16th districts, Jan 6 Committee member, former lieutenant colonel in the Air National Guard.

From Slate ● Mar. 19, 2026

"Defence-related technologies have replaced cybersecurity as the most in-demand high-tech sector," the reserve lieutenant colonel explained.

From Barron's ● Feb. 21, 2026

Eventually she and Jerry both received promotions to lieutenant colonel and wore silver oak leaves on their shoulders.

From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston