What is "sergeant major"

Sergeant \Ser"geant\, n. [F. sergent, fr. L. serviens, -entis, p. pr. of servire to serve. See Serve, and cf. Servant.] [Written also serjeant. Both spellings are authorized. In England serjeant is usually preferred, except for military officers. In the United States sergeant is common for civil officers also.]

1. Formerly, in England, an officer nearly answering to the more modern bailiff of the hundred; also, an officer whose duty was to attend on the king, and on the lord high steward in court, to arrest traitors and other offenders. He is now called sergeant-at-arms, and two of these officers, by allowance of the sovereign, attend on the houses of Parliament (one for each house) to execute their commands, and another attends the Court Chancery.

   The sergeant of the town of Rome them sought.
   --Chaucer.

   The magistrates sent the serjeant, saying, Let those men go.
   --Acts xvi. 35.

   This fell sergeant, Death, Is strict in his arrest.
   --Shak.

2. (Mil.) In a company, battery, or troop, a noncommissioned officer next in rank above a corporal, whose duty is to instruct recruits in discipline, to form the ranks, etc.

   Note: In the United States service, besides the sergeants belonging to the companies there are, in each regiment, a sergeant major, who is the chief noncommissioned officer, and has important duties as the assistant to the adjutant; a quartermaster sergeant, who assists the quartermaster; a color sergeant, who carries the colors; and a commissary sergeant, who assists in the care and distribution of the stores. Ordnance sergeants have charge of the ammunition at military posts.

3. (Law) A lawyer of the highest rank, answering to the doctor of the civil law; -- called also serjeant at law. [Eng.]
   --Blackstone.

4. A title sometimes given to the servants of the sovereign; as, sergeant surgeon, that is, a servant, or attendant, surgeon. [Eng.]

5. (Zo["o]l.) The cobia. Drill sergeant. (Mil.) See under Drill. Sergeant-at-arms, an officer of a legislative body, or of a deliberative or judicial assembly, who executes commands in preserving order and arresting offenders. See Sergeant, 1. Sergeant major.

   1. (Mil.) See the Note under def. 2, above.

   2. (Zo["o]l.) The cow pilot.

n. 1 (context Canada English) A senior non-commissioned appointment in the Army of a company or unit, directly responsible to the officer in charge for their soliders' performance, standards, discipline, morale, welfare, et al, that can be held by a Warrant Officer or above. 2 (context US lang=en ''plural'' sergeants major) The most senior rank of non-commissioned officer in the United States Army, ranking above a first sergeant. In the United States Marine Corps it ranks above First Sergeant and is equal in grade to Master Gunnery Sergeant. 3 (context British lang=en ''plural'' sergeant majors) An appointment (not a rank) in the British Army and Royal Marines, denoting the most senior non-commissioned officer in a battalion, regiment or company.

1. n. a noncommissioned officer serving as chief administrative officer of a headquarters unit of the army

2. large blue-gray black-striped damselfish; nearly worldwide [syn: Abudefduf saxatilis]

Sergeant major is a senior non-commissioned rank or appointment in many militaries around the world. In Commonwealth countries, the various degrees of sergeant major are appointments held by warrant officers. In the United States, there are also various grades of sergeant major ( command sergeant major, Sergeant Major of the Army, Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps), but they are all of the same pay grade of E-9. (However, the Sergeant Major of the Army and the Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, as their respective service's Senior Enlisted Advisor, receive a special rate of basic pay that is higher than all other sergeants major.)

The sergeant major or píntano (Abudefduf saxatilis) is a species of damselfish. It grows to a maximum length of about .

Sergeant major is a rank used in various military and police organizations

Sergeant major can also refer to:

• Regimental sergeant major, an appointment in British and Commonwealth military organizations
• Company sergeant major, an appointment in British and Commonwealth military organizations
• Sergeant major (fish), a tropical fish (Abudefduf saxatilis)
• Eric "Sgt. Major" Clay, English rugby league football referee
• 3-5-8, a card game
• " Sgt. Major", a song by Jet
• Sgt Major, a discontinued chocolate bar sold in Ireland