sergeant major
sergeant major Lexical Profile
• noun
A senior non-commissioned officer in the army, marines, or similar armed forces, typically serving as the chief administrative assistant of a headquarters or acting as the senior enlisted advisor.
"The sergeant major inspected the newly arrived recruits on the parade ground."
A small, brightly striped damselfish (Abudefduf saxatilis) native to tropical and subtropical coral reefs in the Atlantic and Indo-Pacific, named for its resemblance to the striped insignia of military rank.
"While snorkeling off the coast of Florida, we saw a large school of sergeant majors darting through the shallow reef."
Word Nuance & Usage
When making this noun plural, the traditional and formal form is 'sergeants major,' though 'sergeant majors' is frequently used in everyday contexts.
Word Origin & Etymology
Late 16th century: from French 'sergent-major'. Originally, it denoted an officer of a rank equivalent to a modern major, but it evolved over centuries to designate the senior non-commissioned officer of a regiment.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.