cadet

1 of 2

noun (1)

ca·​det kə-ˈdet How to pronounce cadet (audio)
plural cadets
Synonyms of cadetnext
1
a
: a younger brother or son
b
: youngest son
c
: a younger branch of a family or a member of it
2
a
: a person in training for a military or naval commission
especially : a student in a service academy
b
: a student at a police academy : a person who is in training to become a police officer
During his swearing-in speech last August, the 54-year-old head cop pointed out that he still wears the same size uniform that he wore when he was a cadet at the Police Academy 34 years ago.—Bernard C. Parks
3
slang : pimp
cadetship
kə-ˈdet-ˌship How to pronounce cadet (audio)
noun

cadetship

2 of 2

noun (2)

ca·​det·​ship kə-ˈdet-ˌship How to pronounce cadetship (audio)
plural -s
: the position, rank, or commission of a cadet

Synonyms of cadet

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Noun (1)

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Examples of cadet in a Sentence

Noun (1) the hooker claims she turned all her dough in to her cadet last night
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Noun
Brittain said cadets are also taught about mental illness and how to treat people who are in jails. — Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 June 2026 Other cadets stand nearby, tracking the wind and sea conditions. — Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 1 July 2026 At least Duncan’s daughter and fellow cadet, Teela (Eire Farrell), takes pity on the hopeless tyke. — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 4 June 2026 Today, the *Eagle* serves as a vital training ship for Coast Guard cadets, offering unique seamanship and character-building experiences. — Peter Suciu, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for cadet

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

borrowed from French, going back to Middle French, borrowed from Gascon (15th-century) capdet "chief, captain" (Old Occitan capdel), going back to Vulgar Latin *capitellus "leader," from Latin capit-, caput "head" + -ellus, diminutive suffix, originally from noun stems ending in -ul-, -r-, and -n- — more at head entry 1

Note: Compare capital entry 3, caudillo. In the fifteenth century the younger sons of Gascon nobles, lacking an inheritance, were recruited into the French army to learn the military profession. In this context the Gascon word was loaned into French, but with the sense "younger son," the characteristic feature of these men to the French, rather than with its Gascon meaning. The Gascon connection was soon lost. The -t of capdet shows the peculiar outcome of Latin geminate -ll- in Gascon. The cluster -pd- was simplified in French to -d-.

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1610, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun (2)

1798, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cadet was in 1610

Phrases Containing cadet

Rhymes for cadet

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Browse Nearby Words

cade oil
cadet
cadet blue
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Cite this Entry

“Cadet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cadet. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

cadet

noun
ca·​det kə-ˈdet How to pronounce cadet (audio)
1
: a student military officer
2
: a student at a military school
cadetship
-ˌship How to pronounce cadet (audio)
noun
Etymology

Noun

from French cadet "a younger brother or son, one training for military service," derived from Latin capitellum, literally, "little (younger) head or chief," from caput "head" — related to cad, caddie, capital, captain, chief see Word History at caddie

More from Merriam-Webster on cadet

Nglish: Translation of cadet for Spanish Speakers

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