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Military & Defence vocabulary · Ranks & Personnel

Sergeant

Meaning in military & defence, with examples

/ˈsɑːdʒənt/nounCore term

In military & defence, sergeant means: A non-commissioned officer rank above corporal; a sergeant leads a small group of soldiers and makes sure standards and discipline are kept.

In Turkish: çavuş

How it is used

There are many grades, such as staff sergeant, sergeant first class and sergeant major. In most English-speaking armies soldiers address a sergeant as 'Sergeant', while 'Sir' or 'Ma'am' is used for officers.

Example sentences

  1. The sergeant divided the platoon into three teams to clean the vehicles.

  2. Sergeant Kaya is in charge of the stores this week.

Common collocations

  • staff sergeant
  • sergeant major
  • platoon sergeant
  • drill sergeant
  • non-commissioned officer (NCO)A soldier with a position of authority, such as a corporal or sergeant, who has risen through the ranks but does not hold an officer's commission.
  • privateThe lowest rank in an army, held by a soldier who has finished basic training and does not command other soldiers.
  • platoonA unit of about 20 to 50 soldiers, formed of several squads or sections and normally led by a lieutenant with a platoon sergeant.
  • rankA person's official level in the military hierarchy, shown on the uniform, which decides their authority, duties and pay.

More terms: Ranks & Personnel

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