Simple English definitions for legal terms
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Sergeant: A person who holds a position of authority in the military or police force. They are not a knight, but they may hold lands by serving in the military. In the armed forces, a sergeant is a noncommissioned officer who ranks above a corporal. In the police force, a sergeant is an officer who ranks below a captain or lieutenant.
Definition: A sergeant is a noncommissioned officer in the armed forces who ranks above a corporal. They are also an officer in the police force who ranks below a captain or lieutenant. In history, a sergeant could also be:
Examples:
The first two examples illustrate the modern usage of the term "sergeant" in the armed forces and police force. The third example shows how the term was used historically to refer to a person who held lands by tenure of military service but was not a knight. This definition is no longer in use today.