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

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

David, whose name I’ve changed because he is still serving, is a lieutenant colonel and physician in the Army Reserve.

From Slate • Apr. 1, 2026

Moran's president, Vyacheslav Kalashnikov, is a retired FSB lieutenant colonel, according to the Warsaw Institute, a Polish think tank.

From Barron's • Feb. 23, 2026

He had been a lieutenant colonel in public relations in Baltimore.

From "Slaughterhouse-Five" by Kurt Vonnegut