lieutenant
Pronunciation: /lɛfˈtɛnənt/
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Definition of lieutenant
noun
In the normal British pronunciation of lieutenant the first syllable sounds like lef-. In the standard US pronunciation the first syllable, in contrast, rhymes with do. It is difficult to explain where the f in the British pronunciation comes from. Probably, at some point before the 19th century, the u at the end of Old French lieu was read and pronounced as a v, and the v later became an f.
