sergeant
Americannoun
-
a noncommissioned army officer of a rank above that of corporal.
-
U.S. Air Force. any noncommissioned officer above the rank of airman first class.
-
a police officer ranking immediately below a captain or a lieutenant in the U.S. and immediately below an inspector in Britain.
-
a title of a particular office or function at the court of a monarch (often used in combination).
sergeant of the larder; sergeant-caterer.
-
Also called sergeant at law. British. (formerly) a member of a superior order of barristers.
-
(initial capital letter) a surface-to-surface, single-stage, U.S. ballistic missile.
-
a tenant by military service, below the rank of knight.
noun
-
a noncommissioned officer in certain armed forces, usually ranking above a corporal
-
-
(in Britain) a police officer ranking between constable and inspector
-
(in the US) a police officer ranking below a captain
-
-
See sergeant at arms
-
a court or municipal officer who has ceremonial duties
-
(formerly) a tenant by military service, not of knightly rank
-
See serjeant at law
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.
She spoke with a homicide sergeant named Blake Ritchie.
From Slate • Apr. 6, 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
At the same event, Glenda Tietjens was welcoming home her husband, William Tietjens, who was a staff sergeant at the time.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 4, 2026
The sergeant told her to pass it on to someone else when she had successfully completed her mission.
From "Code Name Verity" by Elizabeth Wein
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.