major general

American  

noun

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

---

major general British  

noun

1. military an officer immediately junior to a lieutenant general

---

Other Word Forms

• major-generalcy noun
• major-generalship noun

Etymology

Origin of major general

First recorded in 1635–45

Example Sentences

On Wednesday, provincial deputy commissioner of police, Major General Fred Kekana said nine of the arrested suspects are Lesotho nationals, while one is from Mozambique.

From BBC

The minister said the others on the aircraft were Haddad's advisor, Mohammed Al-Assawi, as well as Major General Al-Fitouri Ghraibil, Major General Mohammed Jumaa, and their escort, Mohammed Al-Mahjoub.

From Barron's

Nigeria's counter-terrorism boss Major General Adamu Garba said recently that illegal mining "intersects with banditry, insurgency, arms trafficking and cross-border smuggling".

From Barron's

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

Mr. Ryan, a retired major general in the Australian army, is a senior military fellow at the Lowy Institute.

From The Wall Street Journal