private first class

noun

: an enlisted man ranking in the army above a private and below a corporal and in the marine corps above a private and below a lance corporal

Examples of private first class in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Bragg, a private first class with the 17th Airborne Division, isn't exactly a household name. Rachel Treisman, NPR, 11 Feb. 2025 Katia Dueñas Aguilar, 23, a private first class stationed at Fort Campbell in Kentucky, was found dead at a residence in Clarksville, Tenn., in May 2024, according to the Clarksville Police Department. Liam Quinn, People.com, 10 Feb. 2025 Aguilar -- a private first class who had been stationed at Fort Campbell in Kentucky -- was found dead at a residence in Clarksville, Tennessee, on May 18, 2024, according to the Clarksville Police Department. Julia Reinstein, ABC News, 9 Feb. 2025 He was transferred to the United States Army Reserves on Feb. 10, 1959, at Fort Sheridan, Illinois, and achieved the rank of private first class. Contributed Content, Twin Cities, 30 Dec. 2023 See all Example Sentences for private first class 

Word History

First Known Use

1918, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of private first class was in 1918

Dictionary Entries Near private first class

Cite this Entry

“Private first class.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/private%20first%20class. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

private first class

noun
: an enlisted person with a rank just below corporal in the army or just below lance corporal in the marines
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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