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lieutenant general

military rank

Quick Summary

A lieutenant general is a high-ranking commissioned officer in the army, air force, or marine corps. This rank is positioned above a major general and is symbolized by three stars. The title "lieutenant general" historically denoted the second-in-command, or deputy, to a general. This naming convention originates from French military titles, where adjectives often followed nouns. In this case, a lieutenant general was originally the "general" lieutenant, meaning the overall second-in-command of a large military force.12

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