major general

noun

: a commissioned officer in the army, air force, or marine corps who ranks above a brigadier general and whose insignia is two stars

Examples of major general in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Following his award, Rogers remained in the military and retired as a major general in 1984. Fernando Cervantes Jr., USA TODAY, 17 Mar. 2025 Prosecutors said the group had a military-type structure, with judicial sources naming 101-year-old former army major general Radu Theodoru as a suspect. Reuters, CNN, 6 Mar. 2025 Reuters — Romania detained six people on charges of trying to overthrow the state with Russia’s help, prosecutors said on Thursday, and a 101-year-old former army major general said his home had been raided as part of the investigation. Reuters, CNN, 6 Mar. 2025 After defeating the Creek peoples in Alabama in 1814, he was promoted to major general and made his way south to the headquarters of the Army’s seventh district: New Orleans. Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for major general

Word History

Etymology

French major général, from major, noun + général, adjective, general

First Known Use

1633, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of major general was in 1633

Cite this Entry

“Major general.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/major%20general. Accessed 1 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

major general

noun
: a military commissioned officer with a rank just below that of lieutenant general

More from Merriam-Webster on major general

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