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teniente

lieutenant

noun teh-NYEN-teh Less Common
People & Society Military

Origin: From Latin tenens, present participle of tenere ('to hold') — a shortening of lugarteniente, 'one holding another's place'.

Usage Note

Teniente is a common-gender noun — el teniente / la teniente — and applies to both male and female officers. In a civilian context, teniente de alcalde is the deputy mayor in Spanish municipalities, preserving the original sense of standing in for a superior.

Examples

"El teniente dio la orden de avanzar."

Natural Translation

The lieutenant gave the order to advance.

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