Synonyms

major general

American

noun

a military officer ranking next below a lieutenant general and next above a brigadier general.

major general British

noun

military an officer immediately junior to a lieutenant general

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

major-generalcy noun
major-generalship noun

Etymology

Origin of major general

First recorded in 1635–45

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“The F-22 is the world’s premier fighter,” said Charles Corcoran, a retired Air Force major general and a former F-22 pilot.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 26, 2026

Mick Ryan, former Australian major general and now fellow of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, says deep strikes are not a magic bullet.

From BBC • Dec. 14, 2025

Guest: Steven J. Lepper, retired Air Force major general and former deputy legal counsel to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

From Slate • Dec. 2, 2025

Veruv, the major general, put the total number of gunmen to enter the kibbutz at about 70.

From Reuters • Oct. 10, 2023

Having achieved the rank of major general, Garfield resigned his U.S.

From "Ambushed!" by Gail Jarrow

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023