alférez

second lieutenant

noun ahl-FEH-res Rare

Origin: From Arabic al-fāris, 'the horseman, the knight'.

Also means

ensign

Usage Note

Alférez is the lowest commissioned officer rank in the Spanish Army and Air Force, equivalent to second lieutenant; in the Navy it corresponds to alférez de navío (ensign). The Arabic origin (al-fāris — the horseman) reflects Moorish influence on Iberian military vocabulary. The plural is alféreces (z→c spelling change before -es).

Examples

"El alférez dirigió el pelotón durante el ejercicio."

Natural Translation

The second lieutenant led the platoon during the exercise.

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