lieutenant

Where does the word "lieutenant" come from? It comes from Latin locus, passing through Old French before entering English (1300s).

Lieutenant’s story begins in Latin: locus meant “place.” Place, combined with tenere (to hold). By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as lieu tenant. One holding the place of another, from lieu (place, from locus) and tenant (holding, from tenere). It reached English by 1300s as lieutenant. Settled as the English word for a military officer acting as deputy to a higher rank. Today, lieutenant means a military officer ranking below a captain, or a deputy to someone of higher authority.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient locus "place", place, combined with tenere (to hold).
2. Stage 2 · Old French · medieval lieu tenant "one holding the place of another", one holding the place of another, from lieu (place, from locus) and tenant (holding, from tenere).
3. Stage 3 · English · 1300s lieutenant "a military officer acting as deputy to a higher rank", settled as the English word for a military officer acting as deputy to a higher rank.