lieutenant governor

noun

: a deputy or subordinate governor: such as

a

: an elected official serving as deputy to the governor of an American state

b

: the formal head of the government of a Canadian province appointed by the federal government as the representative of the crown

lieutenant governorship noun

Examples of lieutenant governor in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

DeSantis hasn’t bothered to replace his nearly invisible lieutenant governor, Jeanette Nuñez, since her departure for an acting university presidency last month. —Orlando Sentinel and South Florida Sun Sentinel Editorial Boards, Orlando Sentinel, 21 Mar. 2025

Rhoden, who was South Dakota’s lieutenant governor until January, when then-Gov. Kristi Noem (R) resigned to join the Trump administration, has previously signaled his support for the legislation. —Elizabeth Crisp, The Hill, 11 Mar. 2025

The panel will feature lieutenant governors and Black state Democratic party chairs. —Deborah Barfield Berry, USA TODAY, 3 Mar. 2025

Little was his Republican predecessor’s lieutenant governor at the time. —Sarah Cutler, Idaho Statesman, 25 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1595, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

lieutenant governor

noun

1

: an elected official serving as deputy to the governor of an American state

2

: the formal head of the government of a Canadian province appointed to represent the crown