In the military why does a major out rank a lieutenant?

Question

but a major general is outranked by a lieutenant general?

Answer 1

The term major general was at one time sergeant major general. The rank is therefore below the rank of lieutenant general.

Answer 2

Legally a Lieutenant is a more suitable rank than a Sergeant (note spelling) major. virtually, any Lieutenant who values his existence pays the utmost recognize to any Sergeant-major he comes throughout. The Sgt major has the ear of senior officials and may he be displeased with the Lieutenant, the Lieutenant will struggle through through some very unhappy and stressful cases. a similar challenge applies in the Air rigidity and military, Lts and Ensigns do no longer favor to 'go swords with the Air rigidity's chief carry close Sgts or and the military's Senior carry close Chiefs.

Answer 3

For the same reason a Lieutenant Colonel outranks the Major ;-)

Answer 4

The word Lieutenant actually means "place-holder", so if rank X dies, then Lieutenant X takes over.
Lieutenant General is second to General just like plain Lieutenant is second to plain Captain. Lieutenant X is second to X, it's just what the word Lieutenant means whenever it's part of a two-word rank.

Major General, however, is just a notch or so above Major. It's the first part of your journey up from major to full General.
Does that make sense?

Answer 5

Because of tradition.
A lieutenant is a subordinate to the officer above it:
Lt General -> General
Lt Colonel -> Colonel
Lt -> Captain

Here is the officer heirarchy for the Army and Marines:

General (4 stars)
Lt Gen (3 stars)
Maj Gen (2 stars)
Brigadier Gen (1 star)

Colonel
Lt Colonel
Major
Captain
Lieutenant

Answer 6

loreric is the only one who has this right, or is at least closest to it. The official titles have changed since they were set, making it appear backwards. When I used to watch AFN, this was one of the "commercials".

A Ross, "officers outrank enlisted"...you do realize, yes, that none of the ranks listed in the question are enlisted ranks?

Answer 7

In the military a major is like middle management at corporate level while a lieutenant his like a junior field manager.

Answer 8

Lieutenants have more power than a major in the military. They have more influence on the soldiers because of direct contact unlike a major who is usually occupying a battallion executive position. On the other hand, the ranks of the generals are misnomers because they are only interested on the stars no matter what the rank was designated by name.

Answer 9

Ya but a Captain is a Colonel

Answer 10

because nothing about the military makes sense, the whole B,M,L,G, thing for the general officers makes no sense.