— sergeancy /sahr"jeuhn see/ , sergeantship , n.
/sahr"jeuhnt/ , n.
1. a noncommissioned army officer of a rank above that of corporal.
2. U.S. Air Force. any noncommissioned officer above the rank of airman first class.
3. a police officer ranking immediately below a captain or a lieutenant in the U.S. and immediately below an inspector in Britain.
4. a title of a particular office or function at the court of a monarch (often used in combination): sergeant of the larder; sergeant-caterer.
5. See sergeant at arms .
6. Also called sergeant at law . Brit. (formerly) a member of a superior order of barristers.
7. sergeantfish.
8. ( cap. ) a surface-to-surface, single-stage, U.S. ballistic missile.
9. a tenant by military service, below the rank of knight.
Also, esp. Brit., serjeant (for defs. 1-7, 9).
[ 1150-1200; ME sergant, serjant, serjaunt sergent servient- (s. of serviens ), prp. of servire. See SERVE, -ENT ]