A sergeant is a non-commissioned officer of middle rank in the army, marines, or air force.
A sergeant with a detail of four men came into view.
...Sergeant Black.
2. countable noun & title noun
In the British police force, a sergeant is an officer with the next to lowest rank. In American police forces, a sergeant is an officer with the rank immediately below a captain.
The unit headed by Sergeant Bell.
sergeant in British English
(ˈsɑːdʒənt)
noun
1.
a noncommissioned officer in certain armed forces, usually ranking above a corporal
2.
a.
(in Britain) a police officer ranking between constable and inspector
b.
(in the US) a police officer ranking below a captain
3. 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. serjeant at law
Also: serjeant
Derived forms
sergeancy (ˈsɑːdʒənsɪ) or sergeantship (ˈsergeantship)
noun
Word origin
C12: from Old French sergent, from Latin serviēns, literally: serving, from servīre to serve
sergeant in American English
(ˈsɑrdʒənt)
noun
1. Obsolete
a feudal servant who attended his master in battle
2.
sergeant-at-arms
3. US
a. US Army and US Marine Corps
a noncommissioned officer of the fifth grade, ranking above a corporal and below a staff sergeant
b. Air Force
a noncommissioned officer of the fourth grade, ranking above airman first class and below staff sergeant
c.
generally, any of the noncommissioned officers in the U.S. armed forces with sergeant as part of the title of their rank
4.
a.
in the U.S., a police officer ranking next below a captain or a lieutenant
b.
in England, a police officer ranking just below an inspector
Word origin
ME serjaunt < OFr sergant < L serviens, serving < servire, to serve
Examples of 'sergeant' in a sentence
sergeant
The former police sergeant is having an absolute nightmare at the moment.
The Sun (2014)
The sergeant and constable will appear before a tribunal charged with misconduct.
The Sun (2007)
He was granted the rank of sergeant and set to work.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Her enthusiasm and commitment has seen her being promoted from sergeant and inspector to her present rank.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
His father was a police sergeant and his mother a teacher.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
It included six weeks on training patrol with constables and sergeants.
The Sun (2016)
There was no officers versus sergeants nonsense.
Patrick Bishop FIGHTER BOYS: Saving Britain 1940 (2003)
And then into the circle steps a lone young police sergeant.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
It is the one time in the year when the officers and sergeants serve their men.
Stewart, Bob (Lt-Col) Broken Lives (1993)
An inspector and two sergeants were found guilty of gross misconduct but stayed in the force after written warnings.
The Sun (2013)
Few African soldiers could rise above the rank of sergeant.
Stearns, Peter N. World History: Patterns of Change and Continuity (1995)
Will the young constable pass his sergeant's exams?
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
She reported the incident to the police but was told by an army recruiting sergeant to withdraw her complaint or face losing her career.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
A further third were serving in the lower military ranks to sergeant.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Six police officers involved in the case have been served with gross misconduct notices, including an inspector and sergeant.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Army sergeants and senior teachers?
The Sun (2012)
Police and court officials wrestled the Black Watch sergeant to the ground and handcuffed him.
The Sun (2008)
In other languages
sergeant
British English: sergeant /ˈsɑːdʒənt/ NOUN
A sergeant is an officer in the army or the police.
A police sergeant patrolling the area noticed the fire.
American English: sergeant
Arabic: رَقِيب
Brazilian Portuguese: sargento
Chinese: 警官
Croatian: narednik
Czech: seržant
Danish: overbetjent
Dutch: sergeant
European Spanish: sargento
Finnish: kersantti
French: sergent
German: Feldwebel
Greek: λοχίας
Italian: sergente
Japanese: 軍曹
Korean: 중사
Norwegian: sersjant
Polish: sierżant
European Portuguese: sargento
Romanian: sergent
Russian: сержант
Latin American Spanish: sargento
Swedish: sergeant
Thai: จ่า
Turkish: çavuş
Ukrainian: сержант
Vietnamese: trung sỹ
All related terms of 'sergeant'
buck sergeant
a newly promoted sergeant
sergeant fish
→ cobia
top sergeant
→ first sergeant
colour sergeant
a sergeant who carries the regimental, battalion , or national colours, as in a colour guard
drill sergeant
(in the armed forces) a non-commissioned officer responsible for providing training in military drill , amongst other things
first sergeant
the noncommissioned officer, usually a master sergeant , serving as chief administrative assistant to the commander of a company, battery , etc.
flight sergeant
a noncommissioned officer in the Royal Air Force junior in rank to a master aircrew
lance sergeant
a corporal acting as a sergeant , usually on a temporary basis and without additional pay
master sergeant
a senior noncommissioned officer in the US Army , Air Force, and Marine Corps and certain other military forces, ranking immediately below the most senior noncommissioned rank
sergeant baker
a large brightly-coloured fish of the genus Latropiscis, found in temperate reef waters of Australasia
sergeant major
A sergeant major is the most senior non-commissioned officer in the army and the marines .
staff sergeant
A staff sergeant is a person of middle rank in the British army or the United States army, marines, or air force.
detective sergeant
a police officer who investigates crime and who ranks above a detective constable but below a detective inspector
gunnery sergeant
a noncommissioned officer ranking above a staff sergeant and below a master sergeant or first sergeant
platoon sergeant
the senior noncommissioned officer in an army platoon
technical sergeant
a noncommissioned officer in the US Marine Corps or Air Force ranking immediately subordinate to a master sergeant
quartermaster sergeant
an officer responsible for accommodation , food, and equipment in a military unit
sergeant at arms
an officer of a legislative or fraternal body responsible for maintaining internal order
sergeant at law
(formerly in England) a barrister of a special rank , to which he was raised by a writ under the Great Seal
chief master sergeant
a solider of the highest enlisted rank in the US Air Force
sergeant first class
the seventh most superior rank in the US army , above the rank of staff sergeant and below the rank of master sergeant
company sergeant major
the senior Warrant Officer II in a British or Commonwealth regiment or battalion , responsible under the company second in command for all aspects of duty and discipline of the NCOs and men in that subunit
Dashing White Sergeant
a lively Scottish dance for sets of six people
senior master sergeant
a noncommissioned officer of the eighth grade , ranking above master sergeant and below chief master sergeant
regimental sergeant major
the senior Warrant Officer I in a British or Commonwealth regiment or battalion , responsible under the adjutant for all aspects of duty and discipline of the warrant officers, NCOs, and men
serjeant at law
(formerly in England) a barrister of a special rank , to which he was raised by a writ under the Great Seal