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Synonyms

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.

sergeant British  
/ ˈsɑːdʒənsɪ, ˈsɑːdʒənt /

noun

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

    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

"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

  • 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

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

Matt served multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan as an infantry squad leader and gunnery sergeant in the Marine Corps.

From Slate • Apr. 1, 2026

Dos Santos, who speaks four languages, is a bit of a mix of LAFC’s first two managers — not nearly as strict as Bradley, the drill sergeant, yet not quite as relaxed as Cherundolo.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 31, 2026

Her trainer, drilling the models with the precision of a military sergeant when AFP visited, said many were like "newborn babies" when they started.

From Barron's • Mar. 13, 2026

“Just like we agreed not to fight with chemical weapons, let’s just agree to not fight up here,” the team sergeant said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 23, 2026

“Names, then,” said the sergeant, taking out his notebook.

From "An Elephant in the Garden" by Michael Morpurgo

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

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.