sergeant major
Americannoun
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U.S. Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps. a noncommissioned officer serving as chief administrative assistant in a unit headquarters.
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U.S. Marine Corps. a noncommissioned officer ranking above a first sergeant.
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a small damselfish, Abudefduf saxatilis, inhabiting warm Atlantic waters, having vertical black stripes on each side.
noun
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a noncommissioned officer of the highest rank or having specific administrative tasks in branches of the armed forces of various countries
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a large damselfish, Abudefduf saxatilis, having a bluish-grey body marked with black stripes
Etymology
Origin of sergeant major
First recorded in 1565–75
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.
He attained the rank of command sergeant major before retiring in 2005.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2024
Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota also intervened on his behalf along with the service’s top noncommissioned officer, the sergeant major of the Army.
From Seattle Times ● May 16, 2024
During his "reception", Artem Dyblenko, a 40-year-old sergeant major at the 36th Marine Brigade, overheard the guards talking about playing football with the captives.
From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2023
The Marine Corps’ current sergeant major has been selected to be the next senior enlisted adviser to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Pentagon officials said Friday.
From Washington Times ● Jul. 7, 2023
The limp of a German sergeant major with a dead voice.
From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr
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.
